


News Flash

by robofruit



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Incredible Hulk (2008), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Bruce Banner - Freeform, First Kiss, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Ongoing story, Slow Burn, Thor - Freeform, ThunderScience - Freeform, a little bruce centric, but also thor centric at parts, gammahammer - Freeform, it switches between them tbh, thorbruce, thruce
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-17
Updated: 2018-05-24
Packaged: 2019-05-08 00:58:26
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 31,891
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14683158
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/robofruit/pseuds/robofruit
Summary: Thor and Bruce have found love in each other, but when the news gets released, the public isn't too thrilled about their relationship.





	1. Chapter One - The Beginning

There was a man in his lab. 

Bruce remembered it clearly, seeing him as he walked past the glass window that exhibited his workplace. Usually, he wouldn’t be so sceptical about who was inside, considering the tons of people who visited his lab, but this was different. This man was tall, and he was wearing armor, and his hair was a golden blonde that slipped over his shoulders like how a waterfall cascaded over rocks.

When Bruce entered, the man grinned at him and reached for his hand, gripping it in the firmest shake the scientist had ever felt. “You must be Dr.Banner,” 

“Bruce is fine,” he said, feeling a jump in his stomach, seeming to trigger his heart into a race. (He never much liked it when people spoke so formally to him; especially if it wasn’t for business.) 

“Bruce,” the man’s smile grew, and he kept Bruce’s hand in his grasp. “Jane has told me much about you. I’m Thor, son of Odin.” he only let go once he was finished introducing himself. Bruce couldn’t help being oddly aware of how blue his eyes were, of how wide his muscles were. 

He also couldn’t help be aware that he seemed to be speaking to a Norse god who somehow knew his friend. 

Bruce adjusted his glasses and set down the paperwork he’d been holding, still facing Thor as he considered how to respond. “It’s...Very nice to meet you, Mr...Odinson, it would be, right?” 

The God-man smiled and nodded, his hands on his hips. “Jane was right about your intelligence,” he said in a way that somehow felt more innocent than patronizing. “Make a fist.” 

Bruce raised an eyebrow at him but obliged, raising his arm in front of him and balling his hand up. He felt surprisingly inadequate around Thor, being as short and as weak as he was. He also didn’t know what this gesture meant, and was a little frightened, but who was he to deny a God? 

Thor moved his hand to Bruce’s fist, cupping it and gliding his finger across Bruce’s knuckles. The slight touch made Bruce’s heart flutter, looking up from their hands to instead study Thor’s face. He looked concentrated, oddly, before turning his attention back to Bruce. 

“A warrior’s fist,” Thor observed, another grin on his face as he looked down at Bruce, who couldn’t help but be aware that Thor’s hand was still on his. “You have great potential, Banner.” 

Bruce had no idea what that meant, but for some reason, it made him smile. “Uh...Thank you, Thor, I..appreciate it.” 

“No need to thank me, just being honest,” he smiled and slid his hand off Bruce’s, a gesture that somehow filled the scientist with longing. “I’ll let you get back to work.” 

-

Thor remembered that day that they’d met in Bruce’s lab. Back then, he had no idea about the Hulk. He just thought Bruce was a scientist whose bright eyes were hidden beneath thick glasses. He’d admired him just as much then as he did when he found out about Bruce’s alter ego. 

However, he couldn’t help but get excited when he got to join Hulk in battle. He was a huge asset, and it was nice to have someone to feel rivalry with, as well as work together with. (Hulk didn’t seem to feel the same way, but that didn’t really matter to Thor).

Bruce, though, was different. He tried hard to let him know what a fierce warrior he was, but every time he did, the scientist just looked melancholy. He didn’t quite understand it; Hulk was the most powerful being on Midgard, but Bruce seemed to hate himself for it. 

“You really saved us today, Bruce,” he said one day, taking a seat next to him on the quinjet. He wasn’t listening to music like he usually did, instead he was just fiddling with the earphones in his hands. “We couldn’t have done it without you.”

That day, the golden glow of the afternoon sun had been shining into the aircraft. Orange sunlight was illuminating Bruce’s face, and for the first time, Thor noticed how truly beautiful he was. His thick curls brushed over deep brown eyes, small figure hunched up in his seat. He nodded in response to Thor, closing his eyes and not saying anything else. 

“You were truly brave, Banner,” he continued, smiling now as he saw Bruce’s eyes open from under his glasses. “I mean it.” 

“Hulk was,” Bruce spoke up suddenly. His voice was soft, familiar. “He’s the hero, y’know. You should be saying this to him.” 

“Bruce Banner is a hero,” Thor protested, Bruce raising an eyebrow at him. “One of the most heroic men I’ve ever known.” Thor didn’t have to lie; he never had to. He looked up to Bruce, in a way that he couldn’t explain. Thor had been born with lots of power, he wanted it, he seized it. But Bruce’s power had been a tragic accident, yet he still used it for good. He was stronger than Thor could ever be. 

Bruce’s eyes seemed to scan Thor up and down, before he settled on his face. The sunlight was shining in a way that made Thor’s hair seem to glow. “Thanks.” Bruce answered, the smallest of smiles on his face. 

“Make a fist.” Thor said.  
Bruce did. 

Thor took it gently in his hand, grazing his thumb against Bruce’s knuckles, just as he did years ago. A familiar warmth grew in the God’s chest as he looked up from Bruce’s hand, his blue eyes resting on Bruce’s. 

“You’re amazing, Banner.” Bruce smiled. 

“I’m starting to think that you might be more...amazing, than I could ever be.” Bruce uttered, his voice quiet. Thor felt the urge to just hold Bruce’s hand, but instead just kept moving his thumb along it. 

Thor’s eyes sparkled. “Perhaps it won’t have to be a competition.” 

Bruce let his hand open up in Thor’s grasp.

 

-

 

Bruce’s absence had hit Thor hard. He remembered the celebration after Ultron, remembered looking for the scientist over the crowd of Stark’s party. He remembered Fury showing him the video of Hulk in the Quinjet, watching him rocket away to who knows where. 

He remembered wandering over to Bruce’s lab like a lost puppy, as if someday he’d magically appear there. He remembered looking over his paperwork, even though he didn’t understand what it meant. He remembered sitting in his lab chair and listening to the recordings of Bruce’s experiments that he’d left on his computer. 

He remembered a year going by. 

That was when he left Midgard, left to go search for Infinity Stones, romping around the galaxy with a plan in mind to distract him from whatever feelings he’d tried to leave on Earth. Once in a while, he’d see a distant constellation, or come to face an orange sunset, and all of those feelings woud rush back again. 

Then he’d gone to Sakaar, and nothing seemed real. He remembered when Bruce had first come back on the ship, and how he’d wanted nothing more than to take him into his arms and hold him there, and forget about everything that had been happening. 

Bruce was different, then. He was talking more, and he was excited, even though he was nervous. He was showing emotion, and it made Thor’s heart soften, it made him start to fall for Bruce even more. But they didn’t have time for that- not with everything that had been happening. 

At the end of that day, he’d gone to sit in what could only be described as the dining room in the Grandmaster’s party ship. He tried to distract himself by pressing the buttons on the table, but all that lead to was a questionable video of the Grandmaster and some tentacles that Thor had watched in horror. 

“Hey,” Bruce’s voice made him jump a little, pulling him away from the odd video to see two bowls of noodles being set on the table. “I found some food- it actually looks pretty good. How are you doing?” 

“I- uhh..” Thor started, but both of their attention was turned back to the hologram of the Grandmaster. He saw Bruce’s expression turn into what could only be described as disgust as Thor fumbled to turn the video off. “I’m..doing okay.” Thor answered, the smallest of smiles on his face. 

“Do you...want to talk about it?” Bruce asked, scooping some of the noodles in his mouth. The food did look pretty good, but with all that had been going on, Thor wasn’t hungry. 

“Well,” Thor ran his fingers through his close cropped hair, letting out a sigh as he stared at the front wall. He searched for the words, going through every painful memory that had rushed through him in the last few days. “My family...It feels as though we’re cursed, like we’re doomed to fight against each other. Like the only one who ever tried holding it together was me,” 

He saw Bruce shake his head sadly from the corner of his eye. 

“There’s so many secrets, so much...violence. I never thought I’d mind either of those things. But my sister killed my father, right in front of me. My brother has both killed and been killed in front of me many times, and...I’m not sure how much more of this I can take.” 

Letting out another sigh, he turned to Bruce, wondering if that had been too much. For a second, the other man was quiet, looking over at Thor and setting his bowl of noodles down, staring at the table now. 

“Y’know, I...watched my father kill my mother,” Thor turned his head to Bruce, staring at him in shock. The expression on his face was one Thor hadn’t seen before, like he was saying things that he wasn’t meaning to, like he was remembering things that he’d forgotten. “When I was young. And then, I....Had to keep it a secret,” 

Thor raised his eyebrows in concern, starting to move his hand toward Bruce. He wanted to shield him from this, somehow, but Bruce wasn’t looking at him. 

“I’m trying to say...I know how you feel. I’m no prince- or king, or god, but I just want to tell you...It’ll get easier. And I know it seems like you’re carrying a lot of weight now, but…” he looked back over at Thor, reluctantly laying his hand on the God’s, his cheeks going pink when Thor intertwined their fingers. “But...you’re strong. And I know you can get through this.”

Thor felt his heart flutter when he felt the warmth of Bruce’s hand in his- he’d missed this, he’d missed Bruce, and they’d never really talked about it, about how they felt for eachother, but when things like this would happen, Thor would never care about that. 

“Thank you, Bruce,” Thor breathed, smiling and meeting Bruce’s gaze. He felt tears brimming in his eyes, Bruce’s hand squeezing his when he saw it. “Really. I know how hard it must have been for you to...Y’know, just, thank you. You’re strong, too.” 

“It’s nothing.” Bruce said, and he traced his thumb over Thor’s knuckles. 

-

Whenever Bruce came back from Hulking out, there was a brief period where he could see to see through Hulk’s eyes. There was blinks of light through darkness, glimpses of sight through blindness, and eventually Bruce found himself on his knees, shaking as he gasped for each breath. 

Changing back from the Hulk took a toll on his body and his mind. Changing in size so much so fast made his body ache; his lungs would feel too small and his bones and muscles would pound in pain. His head would spin, as if his brain was trying to figure out who and where he was, and what he was supposed to be. 

It was painful, and changing back on the Asgardian refugee ship was no exception. 

He remembered seeing glimpses of a gray room, of windows looking into the stars, of Thor, kneeled in front of him, his expression full of sorrow. Soon, he felt it again, felt how the air felt cold on his skin, how his body went limp for a second and how his knees slammed against the hard floor. 

His ears were ringing, and he was still blinking his vision back when he felt someone grip his shoulders, a voice breaking through everything as his mind returned to him. 

“Banner? Banner! Thank God- Banner, please, look at me- you’re alright, you’re safe, you just need to breath,” Thor was kneeling in front of him, his hands gripping Bruce’s shoulders. There were tears streaking his face, and his blue eyes seemed to be scanning every part of him. It was then that Bruce realized Thor’s cape was wrapped around him like a cloak. 

He also realized how close Thor was.  
“....Thor?” was the first thing he said, his voice so hoarse that it sent him into a coughing fit, hunching over and covering his mouth. He felt his heart beat uncontrollably and he couldn’t seem to get ahold of himself, not until Thor wrapped his arms around him, pulling him into a tight hug. 

His arms were strong around him, and his armor was cold against him, but Bruce couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt so relieved to be in someone’s embrace. He kept his hands on Thor’s lower back, his chin resting on his shoulder as he took deep breaths, pulling himself back into reality. 

“I was so worried, Bruce- you said you may never come back, and you were out for a week, and- oh, God, Bruce, I couldn’t stand losing hold of you again, I don’t think I could-” Thor’s voice was breaking, and Bruce felt the worry coming back to him. 

He pulled back, holding Thor’s face in his hands for a reason he couldn’t quite understand. He wanted to comfort him so bad- he supposed it was just a reflex. “Shhh,now, it’s okay,” he wiped a tear from Thor’s cheek with his thumb, shaking his head slightly. “I’m alright. I’m back...I was wrong. It’s okay, I promise.” 

Thor took a deep breath, his eyes darting up and down Bruce. He set his hand on top of Bruce’s, his gaze setting on Bruce’s eyes. He didn’t know if he should keep talking or not, (What was he even doing? He was never this affectionate), so he just looked back, focusing on the light blues of Thor’s eyes. 

There was a few moments where they stared at each other, Thor slumped against the wall, Bruce following him, his hands falling from his cheeks and back into his lap. Thor had been quiet, seeming to ground himself as he sniffled and wiped away tears. Eventually, Thor started explaining to him what had been going on the past couple of the weeks on the ship. Bruce was never one to ignore when someone was talking, but something was distracting him. 

His head was leaning against the wall, and everything started to move to a haze as he listened to him, and Bruce didn’t find himself focusing on anything at all. Anything except how warm Thor felt when he was this close to him. Anything except how when, from time to time, between pauses in his explanation, he’d run his fingers through his hair or close his eyes for a couple of seconds. 

Eventually, Bruce was leaning against him. He hadn’t meant to, but he was getting sleepy, and Thor’s soft, familiar voice wasn’t making it easy to stay up. Even in armor, Thor felt soft against him, he felt...Comfortable. Like he fit. Bruce had only noticed his eyes had been closed when Thor’s lull of words had stopped. 

“Do you want to sleep, Bruce?” he asked, and Bruce nodded against him. 

“Mph...I’m sorry, it’s not that I’m not interested, I just…” 

“Shhh, Banner, it’s okay, I understand,” He felt Thor’s arms slide around him, his eyes shooting open as he started to say something, but Thor just shushed him again, and his eyes felt half lidded. “It’s okay.” 

He felt a little awkward when Thor had walked through the main parts of the ship, knowing there were people staring at him but being too tired to look back. His movements felt like a blur to even himself, and he felt himself say something but he couldn’t quite distinguish what he’d even said. He heard Thor chuckle, though, and he supposed that was enough. 

Eventually, he felt himself be lowered in the softest bed he’d felt in what seemed like weeks for him, but what he realized were actually years. He blinked his eyes open, looking up at Thor who was kneeling by the bed. It was then he realized his fingers were interlaced with Thor’s. 

“Could I stay here with you, Banner?” Thor asked. His voice seemed as vulnerable as it was when he first returned from being Hulk. He sounded lost, almost, a tone he’d never heard in Thor before. Bruce nodded, giving his hand the hardest squeeze he could through all his sleepiness. He saw Thor smile, before his face dropped to the same expression again. “Could I...Lay with you?” 

“Mph..Yeah, of course.” his eyes fell closed as he felt Thor crawl up on the bed next to him, the warmth of it making him sleepier but the fact that he was sharing a bed with Thor making him more awake. He kept his eyes open for a few seconds, studying Thor’s face in the dark of the room. He had new scars, and his eyes were red from crying. He looked relaxed, his lips were slightly parted, and his hand was resting against Bruce’s side. 

Bruce wasn’t sure if he was awake at this point. He could still see Thor, see him faintly getting closer, feeling warmth in his chest as Thor nudged his nose against Bruce’s. Their mouths just seemed to fall together, sleepy and open, soft. Bruce let his eyes close, wanting to keep himself awake and fight for this moment. He slid his arms around Thor, feeling his breath against his face as they pulled back from the kiss, only for Thor to return it again and again until the kisses became shorter and more off point. 

“I’m so glad I found you again,” he heard Thor whisper close to his ear, and leaned his head closer to Thor’s, feeling their foreheads come together gently as he started to drift off, a sleepy smile on his face as he slept. 

\---

Time passed, and memories drifted, and changes were made. The Asgardians were happy to settle into Earth for now, considering Stark had rented out 4 different, 5 star hotels for all of them to stay in. Thor and Bruce were staying in Stark’s tower again, along with a lot of the other Avengers. It seemed that the team was back together, just in case anything happened.  
Thor loved it. He loved being back here, being on Midgard, especially with Bruce. Breaking the news to everyone else had been hard, but eventually they’d understood. 

“Bruce?” Stark had gaped at his friend in surprise when Thor had released the news, his arm draped across a cowering Banner’s shoulders. “How could you not tell me! You and point-break? Who could have seen that? That’s crazy!” He’d moved to Bruce, patting him on the shoulder and grinning. 

Bruce pinched the bridge of his nose, a faint smile on his face as he looked back at Tony. “Ok, ok, get it over with,” he said, hands on his hips as Tony chuckled, continuing to tease him as a couple members went over to talk to Thor, the conversations being a little awkward. 

Eventually, though, everything had settled. The Avengers were living as they always did- Clint would spend a couple days here and then go back to his family. Natasha spent a lot of time at the gym, but spent just as much hanging around the house. Steve kept himself busy, usually letting a little more loose in the evenings. Bruce still cooked all of their food (thank God), whenever he and Stark weren’t busy in their labs. The nights always ended with everyone in the living room, talking or watching movies. 

Thor and Bruce’s nights always ended with them together, laying in bed and talking to each other for what seemed like hours. They’d tell each other about their days, or about old stories, or Thor would just say things that would make Bruce giggle, and Thor would kiss him nonstop. Sometimes, he’d have to carry Bruce out of his lab in order to even get him to sleep, but after a couple of nights like these it wasn’t hard to convince Bruce that it was bedtime. 

Things had gotten more rough, though, when they’d gotten recorded.

All of the Avengers (except Stark, maybe) had mostly gotten used to being famous. Tony always gifted them action figures of themselves, (and hulk for bruce; no one made any dr. banner figures), or t-shirts or even ice cream that was named after them. They also got invited to a lot of panels and interviews, which were always an odd occasion. 

Stark and Steve were good at handling questions. Thor thought he was good, too, but he was told sometimes he talked too much- and maybe got too excited. Clint always gave short, sarcastic answers, and Natasha always managed to answer quick and simple. Bruce was the one that got the most nervous- when he even got questions, at least. People would much rather interview Hulk than some scientist, so usually he just sat uncomfortably in the background. 

Their fame, though, meant that they had to be careful. The news had already caught some of them doing things- usually harmless, like Steve at a cafe or Natasha on her bike. But, for whatever reason, people went even more crazy over Thor. He couldn’t say he didn’t like it; the way people approached him on the street for hugs or pictures. It made him happy, but it also made it impossible to do things with Bruce in public. 

Being together all the time, outside and walking around, had already caused the news to report on what they called an “odd friendship”. The stories showed cell phone pictures of Thor and Bruce walking together, Bruce looking tiny compared to the tall God. There was one time, though, that there was something more specific that a camera had caught, something that horrified both Thor and Bruce. 

They had been at a public party at Stark’s one night, a news crew covering the whole thing. Of course, due to this, Bruce was the most anxious he’d been in a long time. Usually he could get ahold of himself, he could linger in the background and nod along as the interviewer focused on Iron Man or Captain America. 

But tonight, for some reason, the cameras were attracted to Banner. 

He’d been talking to Tony, the two of them leaned over a bar as they sipped drinks- Tony’s was a lot more colorful and complicated, while Bruce was fine with a glass of red wine. They’d been discussing plans they’d been discussing for a while- ever since Bruce moved in when the Avengers first formed, Tony talked about how he had to take Bruce to this science museum that he loved, and the two found themselves having a similar conversation until they’d been interrupted. 

“We’re here with Tony Stark and Bruce Banner- Iron Man and The Hulk themselves,” the reporter said excitedly into the microphone. Tony turned around, smiling at the camera, while Bruce felt shivers crawl up his spine. He tried to stay behind Tony as they asked him questions, his heart pounding as he waited for the interview to be over. 

“Thank you, Mr.Stark,” the reporter had said after asking Tony a few questions, and Bruce had been relieved, hoping they’d leave now- but they didn’t. “Now, Hulk,” that made him cringe. They pointed the microphone at him, the camera man even turning toward him as Bruce looked over at Tony, who looked like he wanted to say something, but was just as surprised as Bruce was. “Could you describe what you remember from your recent fight?” 

They’d gone on a smaller mission a month before, and this was a question apparently they were all getting. Bruce froze for a second, looking from Tony to the interviewer before choking an answer out. “Well...the w-way the transformation works, it doesn’t…” his voice had gotten quieter since he started talking. “I-I don’t remember much, after.” 

“Some people have been speculating the science behind the Hulk, even some government officials like General Ross. What do you think about the recent rumors that have come out?” 

Ouch. “I- um, I have no comment.” he answered, eyes darting between the reporter and the camera. 

“C’mon, you need to give us something. There are rumors that you’re going to be taken into custody-” 

“Alright, this is over,” Tony had grabbed Bruce’s arm and was holding his hand out in front of the camera, glaring at the interviewer. “You can’t come into a party and demand controversial answers from unwilling people. I think it’s best that you leave.” 

The reporter paused, the camera still filming everything as she turned back to it, leading it away from the two, probably going to prey on more of the Avengers. 

Bruce turned back to the bar, holding his head in his hands as his heart raced. He appreciated what Tony did so much, of course- but those questions, that interview in general, it was bringing back thoughts and memories he’d suppressed, and it was causing a panic he couldn’t deal with in this crowd. 

“Hey buddy, are you okay?” he felt Tony’s hand on his shoulder, the touch feeling almost painful as he turned to look at him, hands shaking as he nodded. 

“Thank you, so much, I just- I can’t be here, right now, I’m sorry Tony, I-” 

“No, I get it, trust me,” he patted his friends shoulder, starting to guide him to the neighboring room. “I’ll cover for you, kay?” 

Bruce took a deep breath, nodding. “Okay. Thank you.” 

He saw Tony nod before he pushed open the door to the next room. It was a small sitting room, one of many. It was also empty, which Bruce was thankful for. He sat against the door, rubbing his temples and taking deep breaths. His heart was slamming into his ribs so hard it felt like it might break them, all the while his body was shivering out of control, his head not being able to keep up. 

He jumped, startled when the door started to open, only to be stopped by Bruce’s back. He winced, hoping whoever it was would think the door was locked and go away. 

“Bruce? It’s me, please let me in. Stark told me what happened…” 

He stood up right away upon hearing Thor’s voice, the door swinging open as Thor threw his arms around him, Bruce burying his face into the God’s shoulder. He was still shaking, but now that Thor was holding him, he felt himself become a little more grounded. “Shhh, now,” Thor whispered, rubbing circles into his back. “You’re okay, Banner. My love, I’m here. I’m here.” 

Bruce’s arms were around Thor, holding him just as tight as Thor was holding him. He gripped at the back of Thor’s tuxedo, feeling himself start to calm in his hold. He pulled back and pressed a soft kiss to his lips, having to stand on his tiptoes to do so. “Thank you...I love you,” he whispered. 

“I love you, too, so much.” Thor smiled, pressing a kiss to his forehead, pulling back but keeping his hands on Bruce’s shoulders- only to see horror strike across the smaller man’s face. 

He turned to see what Bruce was staring at, his eyes widening in disbelief. He’d forgotten to shut the door, and the camera was pointed right at them. The party was quiet, staring at the two of them- of course, some of them already knew about them since they were friends with the Avengers, but the general public was shocked. 

Anger overtook Thor’s expression as he slammed the door, hearing as Tony and Steve approached the reporter and cameraman, saying things like “nothing to see here”, and, more rudely put, “get the hell out of here before I have to tell you again.” 

Thor turned back to Bruce, seeing tears well up in his eyes before throwing his arms back around him, his own eyes sparking a bright blue with rage as he held his partner in his arms, feeling him start to shake again. 

-

The “Thor and Hulk” scandal had been the biggest piece of news in a long time. 

It had been on the news just a day after- the interview with Bruce, the recording of them kissing. Bruce couldn’t even read the paper in the morning without seeing it on the front page. Tony had people making calls to stop the reporting on it, but both Bruce and Thor knew it was too late. Tons of different stations were already covering it, and while they appreciated him trying, it was hopeless. 

As for the public’s opinion, it was mixed. Some people were disappointed Thor wasn’t with Black Widow or Jane Foster, some were enraged that they were both men- something that Thor didn’t understand. If they loved each other, why did it matter? The amount of hateful opinions saddened him. Bruce explained that on Earth it wasn’t accepted, but Thor still couldn’t wrap his head around it. 

For weeks, it was all people were talking about. People would cross their faces out on billboards with spray paint. Some said they weren’t heroes anymore. The fraction of people that supported it were just shut down in interviews to the point where Thor gave up hope. 

Of course, after a while, Bruce was becoming a little distant; not from Thor, from everyone. He was withdrawn, just as much as he was when he first came to the Avengers. 

He’d been reading a newspaper one night when Thor found him. The story was on them, of course, but for some reason Bruce looked invested. 

“Hey…” Thor approached him, sitting next to him on the couch with one hand on his back. “Are you alright, my love? Why are you reading that?” 

Bruce closed the newspaper, running his fingers through his hair before looking over at Thor. “I-..I’m sorry,” 

Thor felt a jab in his chest upon seeing his expression- he looked so sad and guilty, and all he wanted to do was just throw his arms around him. Instead, he shook his head, staring over at him. “You have nothing to apologize for.” 

“If I hadn’t freaked out, they wouldn’t have-” 

“I was the one who left the door open.” 

“Thor, it’s not-” 

“And it’s not your fault, either,” Thor took his hands and gazed down at him, kissing his cheeks. “It can’t be helped...There’s no use in pointing blame anymore.” Bruce nodded, and Thor squeezed his hands. 

“I feel like I ruined your image. Who everyone sees Thor as.” 

“When have I cared about my image?” Thor said, letting go of one of Bruce’s hands and instead cupping his cheek. “If my image shows me loving you, then that’s the best image I could ever have.” 

Bruce closed his eyes, squeezing his hand and taking a deep breath. “Thank you.” Bruce smiled, watching as Thor suddenly grabbed the newspaper, ripping it in half and turning back to him. 

“No matter what they say, they can never change anything between us. I love you, Bruce- And if they so much as try to come between us they shall meet my wrath,” Bruce giggled at that. He always giggled when Thor talked like that- like he was in a shakespeare play. “We’re going to be fine.” 

Bruce smiled, kissing Thor’s cheek and inching a bit closer to him. “I love you, too. Thank you.” Thor could see something in Bruce’s eyes, something far away, and a pang of worry hit him. But he supposed he couldn’t dwell on that. He had Bruce, and they were fine, and that’s all that had mattered. 

-

The news on Bruce Banner only escalated. 

It seemed the announcement of their relationship was just the start of what had been coming. Soon, General Ross had appeared on an interview, standing on a podium and surrounded by press. He was talking about Bruce- about Hulk, and raging on about how much of a monster he was. It was something Bruce had gotten used to, but not the rest of the Avengers. 

Especially not Thor. 

“There has been an official call for the arrest of Robert Bruce Banner today, as announced from the federal government, accompanied by General Thaddeus Ross,” A reporter said on the news one morning. Of course, this was old news to Bruce, but he’d neglected to tell the other Avengers. He’d received a notice in the mail, telling him how many days he had until he came- but he didn’t think it would be on the news, especially not at breakfast one morning. “The so-called hero has committed countless atrocities, destroying billions of dollars worth of private property, and ending multiple innocent lives, as well as being a part of the scandal Thor, as uncovered last week.” 

Bruce had just been entering the room when he realized all eyes were on him. He gripped the cup of coffee in his hand, stepping back a little, not really knowing what to say. He didn’t know when he was going to tell them, or if he was going to, but now he could tell it was too late. Steve looked angry; Thor looked sad and confused, and Tony was approaching him, grabbing his shoulders. 

“Bruce- were you planning on telling us this? We could have defended you, or got you a trial, but-” 

“-Listen, I don’t know, but I promise I was going to say something, I just didn’t want-” 

“What, this?” Steve interrupted, gesturing to the TV. “You didn’t want us to find out? Now not only are you going to be considered a criminal, but you’re going to be locked away for who knows how long.” 

Bruce looked around at everyone, trying to think of what to say- that’s when he noticed that Thor was gone.


	2. The Tide is High

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I think it’s Fiji,” Bruce said, using his hand as a visor over his eyes as he stared over the long stretch of sea. The beach was just the right size; it wasn’t too large, bordered by large rocks with sand soft and pink. The waves were a perfect, clear turquoise, without any seaweed blocking their way. “Who knows, though. As long as we’re under the tropic of cancer anywhere is fine with me.” 
> 
> Thor chuckled, pretending to know what that meant as he rolled the now blown-up floaties onto the beach. One of them looked exactly like Mjolnir, which made Bruce laugh. Others were normal; one of them looked like a rubber duck, another looked like some sort of pink bird that Bruce called a flamingo. 
> 
> Bruce laid out blankets and unpacked lunch as Thor ran up to the waves. He loved the way the tide pushed back and forth. He would chase it in, feet padding against the damp sand until it came barreling back at him, sometimes knocking him back and getting him drenched in saltwater. All the while he laughed, kicking up water and running along the coast line.

[SAME DAY, 5 DAYS UNTIL FORCED ARREST]

Bruce remembered the faint sound of the radio beating into his ears like a pulse, music he once didn’t mind soon becoming a reminder of pain and of fear. He remembered staring through the stained glass, eyes scanning over the too-clean lab, eyeing every tool and computer with a stroke of terror. 

He hadn’t been experimented on Ross for that long. A couple weeks, maybe months- but during the tests, the torture, the screaming of swears and degrading comments inches from his face, it felt like an eternity. Every time he heard the click of the door creaking open, his heart started to race and he forced his eyes shut, preparing for whatever was coming. 

He hadn’t thought about those days in so long. Sometimes, he’d pass a mirror and see a scar from where he’d been tested on, or have a dream that Ross had him again, that he’d have to live with that hopeless feeling of being caged and in pain again. That he’d have to wait until maybe, hopefully one day Ross’s lackeys would go too far and somehow kill him. 

Now, he woke to those nightmares with Thor’s arms around him and words of comfort whispered from his ear, and gentle hands wiping his tears. He’d have the smell of Thor’s too-strong cologne there to ground him, and a kiss planted on his forehead as he drifted back off to sleep. 

He’d have the lab to escape to and Tony to talk to- (of course, he never really told him about Ross- the farthest he went with the explanation was saying that he and the General had a “bad history that he didn’t like to talk about”). He’d have a pat on the shoulder from Steve or Natasha, or a joke from Clint that made him forget for a few seconds. 

But now Ross was coming back to take that all away again. When he first got hunted by Ross, he didn’t have friends he’d cared about so dearly, much less a boyfriend that he loved. On top of fear, now he had a terrible weight of guilt, and he was having to face it head-on. 

“Bruce?” apparently he’d been spacing out, because Steve was calling his name and everyone was staring at him. “Why didn’t you just tell us about this? We could have fought for your case, we could have prevented you from even getting charged with this in the first place. But now- I mean, who knows where they’d send someone like- I mean, someone with your-...” 

Bruce waved it off, looking down at the floor and running his fingers through his hair. He couldn’t find what to say; Bruce wasn’t generous enough to himself to realize that these people considered him a friend, a teammate, a member of a family. He never thought about them caring, or worrying. He thought just disappearing one day would be okay. 

He could feel all of their eyes on him- all except Thor, who was still absent. God, Thor- Bruce hadn’t meant to hurt him, he never wanted to hurt Thor. But he supposed when he didn’t tell him he thought he was protecting him, which had been dead wrong. He supposed even 7 PHDs couldn’t make you socially or emotionally smart. 

He heaved out a sigh before looking back up at the group. “Listen...I can’t say I was ever going to tell any of you. I didn’t want to put you through the trouble, or cause some other...Conflict. Ross and I have a background, that goes back longer than the Avengers, and he wants things from me that-” 

“What?” Tony had interrupted now, crossing his arms and staring at Bruce, making the scientist’s heart jump. “What does he want from you? You’ve never told us. You’ve never told me. Maybe we could help you more if you learned to trust us.” 

“I do trust you, it’s just-” 

“Bruce.” 

Bruce sighed, scratching the back of his neck and setting his coffee cup on the kitchen island. “Alright, alright...I worked for Ross for a long time, before the accident. I made weapons for him utilizing gamma energy, while still studying it and everything. I didn’t really want to use it for that, but it was a start. After the... incident, he became even more interested in me. I quit my job, and I tried to run away, but he came after me. He formed a group, and they captured me, and-” he felt his neck get hot, feeling the stares of everyone in the room as he tried to find the words. “And he tested on me. And it wasn’t...pleasant. But I don’t know if he’s doing that this time, I don’t know what’s going on, but I’m sorry I never told you guys. I really am.” 

Bruce had been too aware of the stretch of silence in the room after that. His eyes were at his feet, and he felt the need to bolt out of the room or to just call Ross and have him take him away right now- even torture would feel better than this, better than unloading everything he’d been suppressing for years. But he owed it to them to tell them- especially with all of the secrets he’d kept. Especially if this would be one of his last times seeing them. He felt his heart hammer in his chest, starting to feel himself freak out before there was a hand on his shoulder. 

He looked up to see Tony, giving him a firm, serious stare. “We’ll figure it out, buddy. I promise.” 

-

Thor was glaring at the window. 

Usually, he’d gaze fondly over the city, at the stretching blue sky and the passing clouds. But now, anger was pumping through his veins like poison, his eyelight tinted with light blue as sparks scuttled down his fingertips. 

Bruce hadn’t made him angry- sure, it made him sad that Bruce didn’t tell him. He wondered why he neglected to. Did Bruce not trust him? Were they becoming distant? For a second, he felt his anger start to drain into sadness, before that name crossed his mind again. 

Ross. 

Bruce had told him about what that man had done to him. Torturing him, claiming it was for research even though most of it had no scientific purpose. Keeping him in a cage for months on end and still hunting him when he escaped. There weren’t a lot of people he’d strike down on sight, but by Odin’s beard, Ross was one of them. 

He watched as the clouds over New York darkened, rain falling from them, quickly followed by strikes of lightning in the distance. Usually he suppressed things like this when he was on Midgard, but right now he couldn’t help but start a storm. Ross had tortured the man he loved in the past, and now he was taking him away again. Thor lost Bruce for 2 years already. He couldn’t bear losing him again. 

“Thor?” Bruce’s voice triggered something inside of him, a pang of sadness overtaking the thunder rolling inside him. His anger wasn’t calmed, though, and he didn’t turn around. He couldn’t help but look at Bruce’s reflection in the window, though. He was still in pajamas, hair messy and eyes sleepy. On usual days, this would have made Thor’s heart melt, but today, it felt bittersweet. “Thor, honey, I’m so sorry…” 

“Why didn’t you tell me?” he found himself asking, a little more forceful than that he’d meant it. Thunder rolled in the distance. 

“I..I thought I was protecting you. I thought if I was just gone, it would hurt less..” 

“You’ve already done that once,” Thor felt his voice break a little as he turned to face Bruce. “You left me without telling. You were gone, for two years, Bruce, and it hurt. And now they’re taking you away and calling you a criminal, and who knows how many days we have left, and we could have helped if you just told me.” 

Bruce fell silent. He looked guiltier than Thor had ever seen him, his eyebrows raised in worry as lightning crackled under Thor’s hands. He felt so hopeless; the one person he loved more than anything else in the universe was leaving, and all he wanted to do was strike something down. 

“I swear, I’m going to hurt this Ross, I’m going to-” 

“Thor…” Bruce was approaching him now, and Thor felt himself soften a bit. He didn’t want to hurt Bruce by being this electric near him. His eyes were still bright blue, but his hands were free of lightning now. Bruce moved to hold Thor’s face in his hands, looking up at him. “Honey, I’m so sorry- I’m such an idiot. I-I guess I just wanted more time with you, more time where we didn’t have to think about anything, where I didn’t have to...Worry about you,” Bruce moved his thumb along Thor’s cheek, tracing it under his bright blue eye. “I promise, that I’ll never keep things from you again. Out of everyone I know, you’re the one I trust most, I can say anything with you...Things that used to break me,” 

Thor felt his eyes start to crackle back to normal, moving his hand up and placing it on Bruce’s, raising his eyebrows at him as he talked. Bruce never said this much, which wasn’t a bad thing; Bruce’s actions were always enough to show Thor how much Bruce loved him, but now everything seemed to be spilling out, and it was making Thor soften. 

“I don’t know what’s going to happen with any of this, but I know I’m going to find my way back to you,” he closed his eyes, seeming to think for a moment. He dropped his hands down from Thor’s face, the loss of contact almost painful for the God. He suddenly opened his eyes, looking right up at Thor. “...M-Make a fist.” Bruce instructed. 

It surprised Thor a bit, but he did anyway, holding his clenched fist out in front of him. It embarrassed him to see that it was trembling slightly, but who could blame him? He was holding so much in, and it was all fighting to come out. 

Bruce took Thor’s fist in his hand, gently studying it, staring for a few seconds. He grazed his thumb against Thor’s scarred knuckles, looking back up at him. “I love you, so much.” Thor’s view switched between his fist in Bruce’s hands to the soft look in Bruce’s eyes, feeling a lump in his throat as Bruce lifted his hand and kissed the top of it, the scientist’s cheeks flushing. 

Before Thor could respond, he shattered. Tears filled his eyes and he let his forehead fall against Bruce’s, struggled sobs raking out of him as his chest rose and fell quickly. Bruce instantly pulled him into his arms, one of his hands stroking Thor’s hair from the back of his head while his other was rested on the small of Thor’s back. 

He heard Bruce hush him as he wrapped his arms tight around his boyfriends middle. He buried his face in his shoulder, the thunder and lightning outside being replaced by normal, but heavy rain. Thor’s head pounded as he choked out more sobs, gripping onto the back of Bruce’s pajamas. 

“I-I thought, a-after we got back to Midgard, I wouldn’t have to worry about losing you again,” Thor breathed out between sobs, sniffling and gripping onto Bruce tighter. “I-I thought we were safe, Bruce. I thought we could-” he stopped himself from saying more, closing his eyes tight as Bruce hushed him. 

“It’s gonna be alright, okay?” Bruce whispered, Thor nodding into his shoulder and sniffling, pressing into him almost to remind himself that he was still there, that he hadn’t been taken away yet. “We’re going to figure something out, I promise. I’ll never leave you, Thor.”   
“No more secrets?” 

“No more secrets.” 

“I love you,” Thor said, his voice shaky and quiet. 

 

“I love you, too. More than anything.” 

\- 

[HOURS AND HOURS INTO THE NIGHT, 4 DAYS UNTIL FORCED ARREST, 3 AM]

Tony had made some calls. That’s really all the update Bruce got. 

He’d asked them if they needed any help from him, but Tony told him it was best if he wasn’t a part of it, considering the media was after any information concerning Bruce or he and Thor’s relationship. Bruce understood, but he couldn’t help but feel guilty, seeing his friend trying to find solutions for him without any help. 

“Really, it’s no trouble,” Tony said one night, when they’d been working on a pleasure project in the lab. It was late, and they both felt like fainting, but kept themselves on their feet. “I’m just looking out for you, Brucie. Who’s gonna take you to that science museum if you’re locked up with some crazy old bastard who’s got a boner for the Hulk?” 

Bruce chuckled, punching some things into the computer and turning to face Tony. “I suppose you’re right. But you don’t have to do this, you know. I’m a big boy, I can fight my own battles.” 

“You haven’t been doing a good job so far,” Tony said with a shit eating grin, earning a fake scoff from Bruce as Tony patted his shoulder. “I’m going to bed. You probably should, too.” 

That night, Thor had gone to bed early. He had a rough rest of the day, as Bruce attempted to cheer him up by doing his favorite things. He took him on a walk through central park, holding his hand and pointing out every dog he saw. He put on all of Thor’s newfound favorite movies, (He adored Lord of the Rings and Jurassic Park), and toasted him an amount of poptarts that would have made a human sick. 

To Bruce’s relief, it had worked. Of course, they were both still broken over the possibility of Bruce being taken away, but they wanted to enjoy these few days, so Thor was happy. It was a relief, to see his eyes sparkle at the sight of animals at the park, to hear his loud laugh and feel him clap Bruce’s shoulder at the funny parts of a movie, to watch him scarf down poptarts faster than Bruce could make them. 

It made Bruce wish they could have this every day, that they wouldn’t have to worry about anything. Maybe someday. 

He wandered back to their room, turning a lamp on as he changed into his pajamas. Thor was sound asleep, his hair messy and his arms and legs flopped over the whole bed. He was wearing nothing but boxers, and snoring loudly. Bruce smiled, crawling into bed beside him and planting a kiss on his forehead. 

He closed his eyes, only to feel Thor’s arms wrap around him and pull him closer. He breathed him in as he fell asleep, every worry melting in his mind as he felt Thor’s heartbeat against his chest. 

\- 

[SAME DAY, MORNING] 

Thor wanted to enjoy every second he had with Bruce. 

Some part of him felt like he may be being too dramatic, (that part of him had Loki’s voice), but when he really thought about it, that voice went away. There wasn’t a lot they could do with four days left, and with the crimes that Bruce was being charged for, he wouldn’t be free any time soon. 

That’s when Thor got the idea, to pack everything he’d ever wanted to do with Bruce into four days, to not hold back and to not think about the fact that these could be their last days together. 

“Let’s do something today,” he’d said that morning, whispering to Bruce and letting his hand find his under the covers. Their heads were resting on the same pillow, and they were laying so close that Bruce’s curls were brushed up against Thor’s forehead. “I want to take you somewhere. On a date.” 

Come to think of it, they hadn’t been on a proper date in a while. They used to take each other on dates all of the time, often trading off and showing eachother their favorite places on Midgard. Bruce usually took him to museums or parks, while Thor liked more eccentric places; theme parks or carnivals, or all-you-can-eat buffets. He loved seeing Bruce have fun, even when he was reluctant about it at first. It warmed Thor’s heart. 

Bruce gave him a sleepy smile, scratching his head and closing his eyes. “Oh yeah? Where to?” his 5 o’clock shadow had gotten a little darker, but Thor always liked it- he liked how scratchy it felt. 

Thor thought for a moment, thought about all the places on earth that he’d visited. After a while, he settled on one. “It’s a surprise,” he could feel his own smile grow, watching as Bruce rolled his eyes and planted a kiss on his cheek. 

“Well, you better get working on it, then.” 

Turns out it wasn’t much of a surprise to Bruce after all. He realized he’d have to tell Bruce to pack a swimsuit, and that’s where everything had been revealed. Thor adoread Midgardian beaches; they were so much different than the ones on Asgard. They were more fun, more energetic, and it was the perfect place for Thor. 

Apparently, Bruce hadn’t worn a swimsuit in a while. It still fit him, but when Thor saw him look in the mirror, he didn’t look too happy. 

Thor thought he looked adorable. 

He came up behind him, wrapping his arms around Bruce’s middle and kissing the top of his head. “You look beautiful, my love.” his swim trunks were baggy, dark purple with a lavender seashell pattern on it. Thor saw him smile a little from his reflection in the mirror, and squeezed him tighter. 

Thor owned multiple pairs of swim trunks, as well as beach balls, floaties and surf boards. It really didn’t help with abolishing the nickname “point break”, but Thor didn’t mind. He loved the ocean, the way it could be so rough yet so gentle, pushing and pulling and bringing new things to shore. 

“....Thank you,” Bruce replied, resting his hand on Thor’s and turning his head to look up at him. “I packed some lunch. Is there anything else you wanted to bring?” 

“That’s my second surprise,” Thor saw something in Bruce’s face that looked like amusement mixed with horror as he ran for the door, coming back with two backpacks full of things. Inner tubes, two surfboards, frisbees, beach blankets and umbrellas were all cluttered in Thor’s arms. It earned a giggle from Bruce, and Thor’s heart jumped. 

“I am not surfing, Thor.” 

The God’s eyes sparkled. “We’ll see about that.” 

When they got to the beach, Thor saw Bruce’s eyes light up. From what he told Thor, Bruce was expecting somewhere crowded, but thanks to Thor being his own bifrost, he could teleport them to a completely empty beach, somewhere neither of them really knew. 

“I think it’s Fiji,” Bruce said, using his hand as a visor over his eyes as he stared over the long stretch of sea. The beach was just the right size; it wasn’t too large, bordered by large rocks with sand soft and pink. The waves were a perfect, clear turquoise, without any seaweed blocking their way. “Who knows, though. As long as we’re under the tropic of cancer anywhere is fine with me.” 

Thor chuckled, pretending to know what that meant as he rolled the now blown-up floaties onto the beach. One of them looked exactly like Mjolnir, which made Bruce laugh. Others were normal; one of them looked like a rubber duck, another looked like some sort of pink bird that Bruce called a flamingo. 

Bruce laid out blankets and unpacked lunch as Thor ran up to the waves. He loved the way the tide pushed back and forth. He would chase it in, feet padding against the damp sand until it came barreling back at him, sometimes knocking him back and getting him drenched in saltwater. All the while he laughed, kicking up water and running along the coast line. 

It wasn’t long until Bruce joined him, standing just far enough where the water would tickle his feet and where he could watch Thor practically roll around in the water and laugh at himself. Bruce had one of the biggest smiles in a long time, and Thor couldn’t resist splashing him with some water. 

Bruce yelped and stumbled back before smirking, glaring down at Thor. “Oh, that was a mistake, Odinson.” he ran after Thor, kicking and splashing water at him as the god yelled things like “have mercy on me”. It made Bruce laugh, and honestly, that’s all Thor needed right now. 

\- 

Watching Thor surf was enchanting. 

After their little water fight, Thor had tried to teach him how to surf, but Bruce was a lost cause. He positioned him on the board, one hand resting on Bruce’s chest while the other was on his back. Even then, he had terrible balance, and fell into Thor too many times to count. The god seemed determined to do this until Bruce learned, but Bruce told him it would take hours and that he’d just watch. 

He was kneeling on the beach, waves rolling under his knees as he saw Thor skid under curling waves, sometimes getting distracted, smiling and giving a thumbs up at Bruce, causing him to slip off his board and splash into the water. Bruce laughed, but he couldn’t help feel an odd jump of worry whenever Thor fell, even though he was a literal god and Bruce wouldn’t be surprised if Thor could breath underwater. 

But watching him glide over the water, eyebrows furrowed in concentration as saltwater sprayed against his face. Sometimes seaweed would hang off of his shoulder, and he would remind Bruce of Poseidon, and reminded himself to tell Thor about Greek mythology, (maybe he’d get a kick out of Zeus- or maybe not. Zeus was kind of a douchebag.) 

Eventually, Thor seemed to be getting winded, starting to fall off his board more and more and letting waves knock into him. Soon he was paddling back to shore, the front of his surfboard bumping into Bruce’s knees as Thor crawled up, pressing a salty kiss against Bruce’s lips and smiling.

Bruce chuckled, running his fingers through Thor’s drenched hair. “You getting tired?” he asked, smiling at him as Thor nodded, crossing his arms and resting them on the surfboard. 

“Yeah, but- oh! Wait!” Thor sat up, reaching in the pockets of his swim trunks, seeming to rummage through them frantically. He dropped tons of colorful seashells and rocks on the surfboard between them, beaming up at Bruce as he pushed the little collection closer to him. “They reminded me of you.” 

God, he was so adorable Bruce could just cry right there. He cupped each seashell in his hands, studying it and smiling. They were all brightly colored, seafoam green and coral, some of them seeming to shine in the afternoon sun. “These are...beautiful. Thank you, Thor.” he stuffed them in his pocket and reached out, ruffling Thor’s hair before the God suddenly pounced on him, wrapping his arms around him and kissing all over his face. 

Bruce couldn’t help but laugh, touching his cheeks as water dripped from Thor’s hair onto Bruce’s face. “H-honey, you’re getting me all wet-” Bruce gasped out between giggles, not slowing Thor down at all. 

Thor was laughing with him now, kissing his forehead and his cheeks before finally settling on his lips. The kiss was passionate and desperate as he held Bruce’s face in his hands, pulling him up near him. Bruce moved his hand to the back of Thor’s head, pulling him down and savoring every moment of the kiss. 

Thor pulled back, staying close to him. “Run away with me, Bruce.” he’d said instantly after the kiss, stunned silence electrifying between them as Bruce stared into Thor’s lightning eyes. They seemed to mirror the ever expanding ocean, glittering as the sun had started to set. 

Thor seemed to stare back, his hands still on Bruce’s cheeks. He was flopped over him, gazing down at him. He looked passionate, but scared, and Bruce had no idea what to say. If they could have every day like this- without press, without worries, with just each other… 

“You really want..to do it with me?” Bruce asked, watching as Thor’s expression seemed to change. 

“There’s no one else I’d rather do anything with, Bruce. Even though mortality is never something I’ll face, even though my life will stretch on for years, there’s no one I’d rather spend those years with. If I could spend eternity with you, I would. Bruce, let’s escape. Please.” 

Thor stared at him, studying his face and laying his hand on his. “Yes,” he said, nodding and taking a deep breath. “Y-yes, please, let’s run.” 

A smile broke through Thor’s face, and he pressed another longing kiss to Bruce’s lips.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The story is far from over! 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed the fluffy beach date! I love these boys so much 
> 
> Tumblr: @Fruit-Butt


	3. Remember Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Out of all the ways he’d imagine seeing his cousin again, this wasn’t one of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i hope you guys like fluff and angst because thats all i know apparently! im worried that its getting old so i hope you still enjoy this! i really love writing it!
> 
> comments make me so happy!

[THE NEXT MORNING, 3 DAYS UNTIL FORCED ARREST] 

After their day at the beach, Thor had teleported them back to the Avengers tower. No matter how nice the place was, they both agreed that Stark’s expensive king bed was more comfortable than sand. After all, they still had 3 days until they had to run away, (2, if they wanted a head start), and it’s not like they had to tell anyone there. 

Bruce was ready to get up soon, but Thor was so warm and so soft, and he couldn’t resist being held against him, feeling his heartbeat as they tangled together under the covers, the morning breeze flowing in through the windows. 

When he tried to get up, he felt Thor’s arms curl around him, pulling him down with a small whine. “Bruce,” he murmured, his voice weighted with content exhaustion. “Let’s talk.” 

Bruce smiled, laying back down next to him and touching his chest, smiling. “Okay,” he answered, closing his eyes and nestling his head back into his pillow. “Tell me about our life. After we run away.” 

“We’ll travel. We’ll go everywhere,” Thor started without hesitation, smiling and never opening his eyes once. “I’ll take us to the moon and I’ll bring you the stars.” That earned a tired laugh from Bruce, kissing his forehead. 

“Thor, I love you, but I’m being serious. What’ll we do?” 

“We will travel,” he continued, opening his eyes halfway now and smiling at Bruce. “You will show me every inch of Midgard. We can bring Loki and Valkyrie. And then I’ll take you across the cosmos. I’ll show you every inch of the galaxy,” he reached for Bruce’s cheek, letting his hand brush against it as he moved some curls behind his ear. “And all we’ll have to think about is the stars.” 

“I like that,” Bruce whispered, his arms around Thor’s neck as he rested their foreheads together. “Thor, I like that a lot. You have no idea.” 

“I know, my love,” Thor answered. His breath was against Bruce’s neck now, and Bruce couldn’t help but smile the way it tickled a little. “I have an idea. This is perfect.” 

Eventually, though, he forced himself to get up. He kissed Thor’s forehead, hearing a whine of protest as he pushed himself up and rolled off the bed, his feet landing in his neatly-placed slippers. He knew it was pretty early to be up on a Sunday, considering the clock was just hitting 8:00, but he didn’t much care for sleeping in unless he really, really needed it. 

He shuffled out to the main room, surprised to see he was the first one up. Usually Steve was the earliest riser, but he supposed even super soldiers needed to sleep in once in a while. Needless to say, it was odd for the scientist to see this room empty. 

“Good morning, Dr. Banner,” he heard the programmed voice of FRIDAY announce his arrival as he moved to the kitchen, starting to brew coffee. After Jarvis became even more sentient, Tony had programmed his second choice of an AI personality. Bruce didn’t mind; sometimes it was nice to still have a voice late at night in the lab, or in this case, early in the morning. 

“Morning to you.” Bruce responded, pouring the black coffee into a mug that had Iron Man’s face on it. None of them could help accidentally using things like this in the house, so eventually no one paid attention to it anymore. The Iron Man logo had became just as common as a fork. 

“You have an alert, from Mr. Stark,” FRIDAY continued as Bruce began collecting ingredients for pancakes. (The team had a ‘thing’ for Bruce’s cooking- especially his pancakes. Tony had started calling them ‘brucie cakes’, and the scientist had gotten used to 5 begging mouths to feed every Sunday morning). “He’s trying to arrange a court date, and wants your permission to look for a lawyer.” 

Bruce wondered why Tony was asking him like this. He supposed there was some sort of catch, but who was he to worry about catches right now? He was getting taken away in 3 days, and whatever Tony was planning was worth it. “Yeah, that’s fine. Anything that’ll help my case.” Bruce answered, tying an apron around his waist and starting to mix the pancake batter. Cooking had always calmed him; he liked to have directions to follow, to have an equation that came to an exact solution, to have something to memorize and lose himself in. 

“Are those the famous pancakes?” 

Even with being roommates with 5 people, Steve’s sudden voice still made him jump, causing him to spill a little batter. He was thankful he’d put on an apron, even though he fully expected to be teased by Tony about it. He chuckled as he began pouring the batter into the pan, glancing back at Steve as he poured himself coffee. 

“You’re lucky you’re the first one up. You’ll get the first batch.” Bruce sometimes felt a little awkward around Steve; not that they weren’t good friends, but the fact that they were on the same team sometimes baffled him. Steve was so nice, like the model of what a human man should be, and he was ripped. When it was Thor, Bruce just felt lucky, but around Steve, Bruce couldn’t help feel extra weak and out of shape. 

Steve patted his shoulder before making his way over to the stools set across from the kitchen island. “Thank God.” 

“Oh, God- did I miss Brucie Cakes?” Tony’s voice rang in like an echo, and Bruce found himself rolling his eyes as he flipped the pancakes, a thick cloud of smoke rising from the pan. Tony was surprisingly fully dressed, with the special sweatshirt on that turned into his suit. 

Steve seemed to notice this, looking over at him with raised eyebrows. “Something going on?” 

“Seems we don’t have time for breakfast today, kids,” Tony walked over to Bruce, grabbing the end of his apron and wearing a shit eating grin. “Which is a shame, because it looks like we’ve just hired a new french maid.” 

Bruce gave tony an amused, yet slightly annoyed look, swatting his hand away and letting some pancakes fall onto a plate, sliding it across the table to Steve. “What’s going on, Tony?” the scientist asked, trying to change the subject. Everyone had started to emerge now, all of them fully dressed except for Thor, who seemed to be following the scent of the pancakes along with Clint. 

“We got an alert from somewhere in South America. Could be nothing, but could be something. Worth checking out.” Tony explained, swiping one of Steve’s pancakes off his plate and stuffing it in his mouth, the soldier giving Tony one of the most betrayed looks Bruce had ever seen. “We should get going as soon as possible.” 

Cap nodded, standing up and starting to head to his room to change. “Everyone be ready in 5, meet at the Quinjet. Time’s wasting.” 

Bruce had been shoving some pancakes into zip-lock bags, Thor whining next to him about how he could just eat them now when he felt Tony’s hand on his shoulder. 

“Hey- you don’t have to come. I understand, y’know, it’s your last couple of days-”

“Don’t worry about me,” Bruce answered, giving him a sleepy smile before passing him the bag of pancakes. “I’m fine. Besides, it might be a code green, so I’ll tag along.” Tony seemed to search Bruce’s face for something for a few seconds before he gave him a small smile. 

“Suit yourself. Literally- that means you, too, Point Break.” 

Thor gave Tony an amused smile before suddenly letting his clothes snap onto him with a couple of lightning sparks zapping off of him in the process. It always made Bruce’s heart skip a beat, seeing him so determined and so intimidating looking so quickly.

He couldn’t linger, though- for once, Bruce actually had something to put on himself. He and Tony had designed pants for Bruce that could stretch into the size of the Hulk and not rip, preventing any ‘wardrobe malfunctions’. They weren’t the most flattering, but they were better than being naked. 

By the time he’d gotten out of the changing room, everyone was starting to go to the quinjet, Bruce following suit, having to walk a little faster to keep up with everyone else; they all had long, powerful strides, so most of the time when he walked with them he trotted close behind them in a speedwalk. 

-

Turned out it had been a code green. There were too many people, storming them and keeping hostages, that they needed all the help they could get. In other words, they needed the Hulk to handle the people on the ground, which he happily did. 

The team still hadn’t gotten used to Thor’s new way of fighting; the way he could let lightning surround him, guiding it through the air and bringing down multiple opponents in one strike, without any weapon. Thor, though, was having fun; as much as he didn’t want to admit it, he enjoyed showing off his new skills to his teammates. 

It didn’t take long for the fight to be over. Natasha and Tony handled the hostage situation, and soon enough, people were being taken into custody, and the Avengers were catching their breathes in the landed quinjet. 

“Thor, can you be on Hulk duty?” Nat had asked when everything was finally over, causing a smile to spread over the God’s face as he nodded frantically. He had to admit he’d been a little jealous of Natasha, but he had his own lullaby now, and it worked like a charm. 

Thor would approach him slowly, and make a fist. Hulk would as well, holding it out to Thor so that he could place the palm of his hand against it, and soon, he was back to Bruce-size, perfectly normal again. Thor was always so proud of himself after that. 

They’d all went to get food after that; it wasn't often that they could go and try some of the food from the country they were visiting, but now that they had time, Tony was scanning the area for the best food place they could find. They were somewhere in Peru, and eventually found a pretty popular place, due to local recommendation. 

The lunch went like how most lunches went; Thor slammed his fists against the table, replaying the battle, reciting it like it was some sort of old tale from Asgard. It was entertaining, sure, but most of the time the rest of the Avengers wanted to eat on a table that wouldn’t occasionally shake from the crashing fists of a certain God of Thunder. 

The rest of it was taken up mostly by casual conversation; Tony was talking about a new man he’d been seeing, some guy named Stephen who was supposedly very powerful. Usually Thor would just assume that this was another one of Tony’s one-night stands, but he seemed very passionate about this particular person, (he couldn’t help but wonder if it was the same Stephen he’d encountered with Loki.) 

Eventually, they were back on the ship, on their way to the Avengers tower. Thor was seated next to Bruce, sharing a headphone with him as they both listened to the playlist he always had on after he was done being the Hulk. They were listening to a song by some bard named Frank Sinatra; Thor loved the way Bruce’s foot tapped along to the music. 

“Bruce, the meeting with the lawyer’s today. She should be at the tower when we get there,” Stark was yelling back at Bruce from the driver's seat as he looked at some screen, alerting him something Thor couldn’t understand. 

“Sounds good,” Bruce answered, flipping to the next song on his phone. Thor pulled the earphone from his ear and looked over at Bruce, tapping his shoulder. 

“What’s a lawyer, Bruce?” 

-

Settling back into the compound had been nice. They all dressed into their regular, casual clothes; Clint went to take a nap, which sounded like a good idea to Bruce, but he knew if he slept after Hulking out all that was waiting for him was a nightmare and a cold sweat. 

Instead, he slumped down on the couch next to Thor as Tony flipped through the channels on TV. The lawyer still wasn’t there yet, and Bruce couldn’t help feeling a little anxious to meet them; he wasn’t too used to having people do so much for him, and he had no idea how much this lawyer would have to do. Tony seemed excited to meet them, so at least that was a little calming, considering he’d probably end up doing most of the talking. 

“Sir, Mrs.Walters has arrived and will see you now,” FRIDAY’s voice rang through the living room, and Bruce felt shivers up his spine as he sprang up, staring over at Tony with wide eyes. Maybe Stark didn’t know, maybe it wasn’t the Walters he knew, but God he was already freaking out. 

“Walters? Tony, did you do this on purpose?” 

“What are you talking about?” 

He felt Thor’s hand squeeze his shoulder, but his skin felt too hot to be touched right now. He wasn’t freaking out; not like he usually did. He wasn’t panicking- in fact, he was more relieved than anything. If it was her, at least. He took a deep breath and shook his head. 

“Nevermind, it’s fine, it’s just-” 

“Bruce?” 

His heart skipped a beat. His throat felt so dry that he wasn’t sure he could even get words out; his tongue felt too big in his mouth. He’d recognize that voice anywhere, and the way she said his name made him feel like if he stood up he’d fall into a billion pieces. 

But he did anyway, his body seeming to instinctively throw him to his feet. He turned where Tony and Thor were already staring; she looked exactly like he remembered. A little older, of course; it had been a long while since he’d ran off from her. Her dark hair was hanging over her shoulders, brown eyes wide and brimmed with tears. 

Out of all the ways he’d imagine seeing his cousin again, this wasn’t one of them. 

“Jenn...I-” his words caught in his throat as she paced over to him, stopping right in front of him and staring for a few seconds before she threw her open palm at his face, Bruce yelping in shock as the slap echoed across the room. He heard Thor rise from his seat, but he put a hand toward him, trying to tell him it was ok as he held his cheek. “I-..I guess I had that coming.” 

Jennifer Walters then threw her arms around the scientist, squeezing him a little tighter than Bruce was used to, but he couldn’t complain now- he eagerly reciprocated the hug, letting out a sigh he hadn’t realized he’d been holding in. 

“God, Bruce, I had no idea where you went, and then I saw you on the news, and I wanted to see you, but- God, Bruce.” She pulled back from the hug, keeping her hands on his shoulders and shaking her head. She wiped away a tear on her cheek, which was the cherry-on-top of this whole thing for Bruce; he’d ran away from her, he’d left her without saying goodbye, and having her do those right here, right in front of him...It felt like someone was slapping him in the face. Again. 

“Bruce,” he heard Thor interrupt, the two of them turning their heads to look at him before Bruce could answer. “Who is this?” 

“Yeah, ex girlfriend? What’s all this history, Brucie? I thought having interactions like this was my job.” 

“Jen is my cousin,” he explained, looking back at her. She looked wildly uncomfortable, which Bruce could understand; Tony and Thor were celebrities, and it was probably weird for her- especially since they both hadn’t seen each other in years. “But we’re closer than that. We grew up together, we’re like...Siblings, more than anything.” 

“This is wonderful!” Thor cheered, his confusion turning into a fond smile. “A family reunion!” he walked over to both of them, clapping them on their shoulders and hugging Jennifer, who seemed nervous but obliged; honestly, who wouldn’t want to hug Thor? 

Tony joined them as well, looking amused. “Look at me, huh?” he pat Bruce on the back. “Making connections. You’re welcome.” 

“Um-” Jen interrupted him, pulling away from Thor and brushing some hair out of her eyes. “This is all, really, really sweet but...Could I talk to you alone for a minute? Bruce?” 

Thor took a step back and Bruce nodded, putting his hand on the small of her back. “I’ll, um- show you to my room.” 

-

Bruce still felt like he was dreaming. They shut (and locked) Bruce’s bedroom door, and once they were both inside Jen slapped him one more time, a little less hard this time, but Bruce still got the point. 

 

“How could you do that?” Jennifer asked, and Bruce felt his heart drop to his stomach. “How could you just leave? After everything we’ve been through, and you didn’t even say anything- Bruce, I thought they killed you!” 

“I-I didn’t want to hurt you,” Bruce explained, still holding his now tinted red cheek as he looked back at her, trying to speak softly and calmly even though he was about as freaked out as she was. “This- all of this, what happened to me- it’s bigger than anything, and I couldn’t be selfish, I couldn’t stay and let myself hurt you-” 

“Oh, you were selfish. Bruce- you act like you’re a monster, but you’re not. You act like-” 

“Jen, I wasn’t worried about the Other Guy hurting you as much as I was worried about me hurting you.” 

“What the Hell are you talking about?” 

“Jen...I-I’m not any better than he is. I’m not. I’ve done things...Worse, so much worse, than the Other Guy has done,” things were spilling out now, things he always wanted to tell Jen that he’d been too afraid of. He felt like he might throw up, but he couldn’t stop himself. His mind was like a runaway train. “You’ve seen me, when I was at my worst. Jen, you knew me. I left because I didn’t want Hulk to hurt you, sure, but I also left because I couldn’t face the fact that I’m Hulk. If he hurt you, it would be no different than me-” 

He took a deep breath, looking back up at Jennifer. There were tears in her eyes again. That’s when Bruce realized the green slowly fading from his fingers. 

“Oh God- Jen, I’m so sorry, please don’t-” 

She threw her arms around him again, her hand on the back of his head as she shoved him into the embrace, shutting him up instantly. “Bruce- you’re not the Hulk. You’re not a monster, and you don’t scare me. The only way you ever hurt me was by leaving,” she pulled back, staring at him and shaking her head. “Our family is so broken, Bruce. I missed you. Please don’t disappear again.” 

Bruce shook his head, hugging her again and sighing. He felt like crying- memories from when they were kids were the only good memories he had, and he’d unknowingly been pushing those away. They were coming back to him now- Jen was here, Jen wasn’t afraid of him, and God he was such an idiot. 

“I won’t,” he said, the two of them not wanting to pull back yet. “I promise, I won’t. I missed you too, Jen.” 

In that moment he realized he couldn’t run away. Not again. 

-

Things got much better from there. 

Thor waited with Tony while the two of them went to Bruce’s room- they heard a little shouting, but it went away quickly. Thor couldn’t contain his excitement; he had so many questions for Jennifer. He wondered what Bruce had been like as a child? He’d never met anyone from his family before, Bruce rarely ever talked about them. 

After they’d gotten out, they seemed happier; they were both all smiles, and it warmed Thor’s heart. Tony gave Bruce an Incredible Hulk bandaid for his cheek, which he turned down, but Jennifer ended up sticking it on the slap wound anyway. Eventually the rest of the Avengers had met Jennifer. They’d all been equally surprised, (none of them really thought about Bruce having any family. He always seemed like he’d come from nowhere; he slept in his lab, and had only packed a couple of ripped clothes, the rest of his wardrobe had been old ripped things that Bruce had casually stolen from the other Avengers). So, none of them expected him to have a cousin, especially one who was this close to him. 

Jennifer stayed for dinner. They’d ordered Chinese food, and the entire night was spent with the Avengers firing questions at her. Thor, obviously, was first. 

“Jennifer,” Thor had said once everyone was seated in the living room. Whenever any of them addressed her, (especially Thor), she perked up with pink cheeks, smiling. “What was Bruce like as a child? We’ve never heard any of his childhood stories.” 

“That’s true,” Clint chimed in, fighting a mouthful of rice as he spoke. “The guy didn’t even tell us he had a cousin. Hell, as far as we know he doesn’t have a mother.” The group laughed at the light teasing, Clint receiving a classic ‘look’ from Bruce. 

“Well,” Jennifer started, a small smirk on her face as she eyed Bruce. He looked a little frightened, and Thor thought it was adorable. “He was a little dork. He used to want to be a spaceman, and he’d go to school every day with a big helmet on his head. But it wasn’t even like, a real toy helmet, it was just a clear plastic bowl.” 

They all had a laugh at that, and Bruce pretend to find his bowl of noodles very intriguing as Jennifer continued. Thor marveled at the story, letting out a small ‘aw’, a big goofy smile on his face.

“Oh, also, that time in highschool-” 

“That’s enough.” Bruce interrupted, looking up at her. She gave him a testing look, furrowing her eyebrows and smiling. 

“C’mon, Brucie, let up a little,” Tony pleaded, grinning down at him and stabbing his chopsticks into some rice. “Let’s get to know the real Dr.Banner.” Shaking his head, Bruce turned his head back to his food with a small smile. 

“He ended up getting the wrong size gym uniform, so he was running around outside with these little booty shorts, and it was the worst thing I’ve ever seen in my life.” 

That one really got Stark going. They were all howling with laughter as Tony teased a now bashful Bruce as everyone else asked more questions about young Banner. As much as Thor laughed, he loved every story, smiling in awe and gazing at Bruce as Jennifer told each story. He was trying to imagine what he’d looked like, when he was younger, before the accident. He wondered if he smiled more. 

Eventually they were all looking at old pictures of Jennifer and Bruce, passing Jen’s phone around and chuckling at pictures of toddler Bruce with a big bowl over his head. Thor even asked Jennifer to send some to him, only to remember that he didn’t have a phone. 

Thor could tell Bruce was embarrassed by all of the attention; his cheeks were apple red, and he was staring down at his food instead of looking at everyone else. Eventually, the conversation fizzled into other things, and Bruce seemed more relaxed. Jennifer was asking them questions now, eager to know more about how the Avengers more. 

Eventually, though, Steve actually asked a her question. “So- all memories and joking aside- do you think you can get the heat off of his tail?” by now, there was a sleepy calmness over everyone, empty food containers sprawled out all over the coffee table. 

“I think I can manage,” she smiled, ruffling Bruce’s hair. “In all seriousness, though, this is pretty big. I’m sure I can put up a good fight, but I don’t want to make any promises. We only have a couple days, after all, but all do as much as I can.” 

“I think she’ll do great,” Bruce chimed in, gazing proudly at his cousin. “She’s handled some of the toughest cases I’ve ever seen. She’s our best bet.” 

Thor smiled; it was nice to see them being so supportive of each other, even though none of this really mattered when it came down to it. He and Bruce were running away together, and he was sure they’d be skipping this court. He wondered if he’d miss his cousin, though, but he shook that thought. They could always visit her. 

They’d all offered Jen a place in the spare bedroom, which she happily took, retiring for the night after one more quick hug with Bruce (and another unplanned hug from Thor.) Bruce was getting up to go to his lab whent the god had decided to follow him, smiling like a loyal puppy. 

He sat in Bruce’s office chair, spinning himself gently as he watched Bruce work. He was so careful, so concentrated, and Thor adored just being in his company on nights like these. When Thor asked what he was doing, he answered with some words Thor couldn’t quite distinguish. 

“I’m testing the gamma radiation readings and comparing them to a control group I’ve been logging,” he’d explained it to Thor better, the God nodding in understanding now, looking over Bruce’s shoulder once in a while before he started to get a little bored. 

“You were an adorable child, Bruce.” Thor said out of nowhere, and Bruce seemed a little startled. 

“Stop,” he answered, and Thor could hear the smile in his voice. 

“But it’s true!” Thor rolled the chair over to Bruce, bumping into him and wrapping his arms around Bruce’s waist, his face pressed against the scientist’s lower back. He always loved Bruce’s too-big lab coats, how Bruce had to roll the sleeves up to prevent them from hanging over his hands. “I wish I could have seen you, running around with a bowl on your head.” 

“Shut up,” Bruce said, laughing now and typing on his computer a little less. “I was a little nerd, you probably would have scared me.” 

Thor suddenly yanked him into his lap, earning a small yelp from the scientist. He rolled across the room, spinning and holding Bruce in his lap. “Do I scare you now, doctor?” he asked, smiling as Bruce chuckled, holding onto Thor’s shoulders as the God pressed a kiss to his lips. The chair halted, bumping into a table. “Do I?” 

“Of course not,” Bruce smiled a little, kissing his forehead. “Why do you have to pull me away from my work?” 

“Don’t pretend you don’t love it,” Thor answered, smiling and resting his chin on Bruce’s shoulder. “You’ll thank me later.” Usually Thor didn’t tease this much, but he was extra giddy tonight; the more he learned about Bruce, the more he fell in love with him, and by Odin’s beard was he feeling that now.

Bruce adjusted himself on Thor’s lap, the sheepish smile still on his face. “You’re right,” he answered. “I do love it.” 

There was a beat before Thor spoke up again. “Bruce,” Thor started, taking the scientist’s hand in his and running his thumb along his knuckles. “Are you happy?” he looked from their hands back up to Bruce’s face. 

Bruce seemed to consider this for a moment, interlacing their fingers. “Y’know, I think...For the first time, I can actually say that I am. Hell, of course I’m happy, Thor.” Bruce squeezed his hand, and Thor smiled at him. 

“You know how much I love you, Bruce?” 

“I think I’m starting to get it,” Bruce smiled, leaning down and pressing a kiss to Thor’s lips. He smiled into it, wrapping his arms around the smaller man and letting him rest against his chest. When they pulled back, Bruce’s eyes were still closed, and he moved his head to rest on Thor’s chest. 

“I’m happy, too.” Thor whispered.


	4. Fog

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bruce remembered the first night he’d ran. 
> 
> It was just days after he’d escaped from Ross. His tote bag dug into his shoulder like a knife, reminding him of how much he’d stuffed inside of it. He didn’t need much; clothes for every type of weather, basic hygiene supplies, some cans of food and a lighter. He even took a blanket, figuring it would be easier than lugging around a sleeping bag. 
> 
> He remembered taking in the last of his apartment, of his stuff. He really didn’t care too much about any of it. All of his lab equipment had been destroyed in the explosion anyway, and that’s everything valuable he had on him, other than some photographs.

[NEXT MORNING, 2 DAYS UNTIL FORCED ARREST] 

 

The stampede of footsteps had been like thunder, rolling through the tower as voices struck down like lightning, ringing in Thor’s ears. Normally, storms wouldn’t scare him, but this was no storm. They were coming to take him, and Thor wasn’t ready. 

 

Bruce had been up, getting dressed frantically when Thor had pulled him back down, holding him in an embrace that might have been too tight, but he didn’t care. “Bruce- Bruce, please, don’t, I’m not ready. W-We can still escape, please, my love,  _ don’t, _ ” 

 

Bruce was silent, still in Thor’s arms. That’s what scared him the most. 

 

The two knocks on the door went in rhythm to Thor’s heavy heartbeats, each causing the god’s heart to plummet more and more into his stomach. 

 

-

 

It usually didn’t storm late morning. Bruce worried at his lip, cupping the small mug of coffee in his hands as he listened to the distant rumbling of thunder. He got a sample of the black coffee as the smoke rose, dancing into his nose as he breathed in and out, trying to keep it slow and steady despite the worry creeping up on him. 

 

“Everything ok?” Jen asked, moving over to him with her own cup and a couple of packs of sugar, (Stark brand, of course; Bruce wondered how Tony got ahold of a brand for everything and anything.) They were the only ones in the living room, considering Tony had a press conference and Steve, Nat and Clint were on a smaller Shield mission. 

 

He couldn’t lie; the breeze that the heavy rain brought through the window was nice, it went well with his coffee, but thunderstorms had grown to be different for him since he’d met Thor. What once had been a calming sensation had turned into reason to worry about the god’s well being, and even though it was morning, (which was usually Thor’s favorite time of day), he couldn’t help but have that nagging feeling in his chest. 

 

“Yeah- I mean, probably. It’s probably nothing,” he answered, watching and chuckling under his breath as Jen poured more than 5 packets of sugar into her coffee. Some things never changed. He must have been staring out the window too much, because Jennifer stared at him before interrupting his thoughts. 

 

“Thor,” she interjected, matching his gaze at the window. “He has something to do with this, the storm, doesn’t he?” 

 

“Probably. But I hope not.” Bruce set his coffee down, fiddling with his hands and letting out a short sigh. 

 

“You go check on him, I’ll make sure your coffee stays hot.” she smiled and Bruce thanked her, standing up and heading for he and Thor’s room. 

 

“Just don’t put any sugar in it,” he called before sliding their door open, 

 

Surprisingly, Thor was still asleep, but somehow there was still lightning radiating from his fingertips. He could see a blue glow from behind the god’s eyelids, and he was shaking like Bruce had never seen before. He knew Thor had nightmares, but he’d never seen one like this. 

 

“Hey, hey….” he said more to himself as he approached, lowering himself to sit on the bed, trying to figure out the best way to wake him. He knew he should probably do it quickly, but worry gnawed at him; not everyone’s fear was displayed with a huge storm, so he figured he’d have to be more careful. 

 

Bruce crept his hand up Thor’s arm, rubbing it gently and leaning over him, trying not to get too close but staying near enough where Thor could see him clearly. He then shook him, gently but still with a touch of fear. He was eager to wake him up, eagar to make him stop feeling whatever this was. 

 

It took a bit more shaking before Thor suddenly sprang up, shivering and whispering something Bruce couldn’t understand. He was staring at Bruce with wide eyes, shivering as he traced the scientist up and down, over and over, like he was making sure he was real. Bruce just put his hands out in front of him, taking a deep breath and beckoning Thor to follow. 

 

“Thor, are you okay…?” 

 

It was just after he asked that Thor threw his arms around him, Bruce almost gasping at how tight his arms were wrapped. He was clinging to Bruce, like he was protecting him from something, and Bruce felt shivers crawl up his spine as he returned the embrace. He’d never seen Thor like this. 

 

The two of them sat in silence for a few seconds, and Bruce found himself wondering what a powerful God of Thunder would have a nightmare about. He was the most confident, strongest person Bruce knew, and he couldn’t think of much that would scare him this bad. However, he couldn’t find it in himself to ask, not while Thor was still a shivering heap in his arms. 

 

The storm seemed to be calming a bit, at least. The thunder was rolling less intense now, only with slight echos of it occasionally breathing through the air. Bruce wondered how much Thor was connected to it. Did his tears fall with the rain? Did his heart beat along with each steady  _ clap  _ of hail shattering on the ground? Did the rising and falling of his chest move with the steady pace of thunder? Bruce wasn’t sure if he wanted to know the answer. 

 

His eyes were closed tightly as Thor held Bruce against him, their light gray comforter forming a circle around the two of them. Bruce was kneeling in between Thor’s crossed legs, and he felt Thor’s heart beat against his own as the thin cloth of his pajama shirt pressed against the God’s bare chest. Times like these made Bruce feel as though their hearts were melting together, beating into one as they molded through their ribs. 

 

It wasn’t until Bruce opened his eyes that he realized their bedroom had been filled with a thick cloud of fog, so much of it that he couldn’t see the dresser that was on the wall across from their bed. It was pouring through the open window, thick grey air like heavy smoke, specs of condensation dripping onto Bruce’s shoulders. 

 

It was one of the most beautiful things Bruce had ever seen. He pulled back to let Thor look at it, the blues of his eyes shining through the fog like pieces of sky prying their way through clouds. Tears on his face were mixing with tiny drops of water left behind by the mist, and Bruce swore there was a moment where the line between Thor and the weather itself became very thin, and Bruce had to cup Thor’s face in his hands to not lose him in the fog. 

 

“Thor, honey, you need to tell me what’s going on,” Bruce finally spoke up, his voice soft. It felt like if he opened his mouth some of the fog would get in, a murky haze filling his cheeks. Bruce wouldn’t be surprised if it did. 

 

“We can’t wait any longer,” Thor took both of Bruce’s hands, gently guiding them away from his cheeks, letting them rest between the two of them. “We need to run, Bruce, now.” 

 

-

Bruce remembered the first night he’d ran. 

 

It was just days after he’d escaped from Ross. His tote bag dug into his shoulder like a knife, reminding him of how much he’d stuffed inside of it. He didn’t need much; clothes for every type of weather, basic hygiene supplies, some cans of food and a lighter. He even took a blanket, figuring it would be easier than lugging around a sleeping bag. 

 

He remembered taking in the last of his apartment, of his stuff. He really didn’t care too much about any of it. All of his lab equipment had been destroyed in the explosion anyway, and that’s everything valuable he had on him, other than some photographs, (he’d snapped a picture of each one worth saving in his phone, not wanting to have to deal with bringing scrapbooks with him). 

 

He stepped over to his window, taking one last look over the city with a small sigh. Lights outside made every building look blue, as if carved from sapphire, reflecting off a silver glow from the moon. He wondered where he’d be by the end of the night. Probably not far. Hopefully not too close. 

 

“Take one last look, Big Guy, ‘cause I don’t plan on coming back.” there was a loud grumble in the back of his head. 

 

Too loud. 

 

He knew he should get going as soon as he could, but he couldn’t help but linger, running his hand over chairs or the cheap Ikea table in his kitchen. He found one of his old notebooks under the clutter of empty cereal boxes and dishes, yanking it out and brushing crumbs off of it. Maybe he should leave a note. 

 

He started with  _ To whom it may concern,  _ but decided that was too formal and not specific enough. He was writing this for one person, the only person who would be concerned in the first place. He erased the phrase and started over. 

 

_ Jen-  _

 

That was better. 

 

_ I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you this in person. Truth is, there isn’t a lot I can tell you in person anyway. _

 

He crossed that part out and kept going. 

 

_ You know you’re the one person I trust, the one person who’s stuck by me more than anyone else has. Thank you for that. I don’t want to have to leave, if I’m being honest, but  _

 

But. 

 

That word carried too much. 

 

When he started to lift the pencil again, a loud roar in his head made his eardrums ring, his hands grasping to cover his ears and fingernails digging into his skull. Why now? Why couldn’t he just leave him alone? Why couldn’t he at least let him do this? 

 

“Just shut up for a second. I need to write this.” 

 

The roaring in his head just erupted louder, this time sending Banner down, hunching over the table and clutching his ears, eyebrows furrowed in anger as he stood up, ripping the page from his notebook and crumbling it up, throwing it in the trash and grabbing his bag. 

 

“Guess I’ll hafta get used to doing things your way, huh?” he slung the bag over his shoulder. He felt crazy, talking to himself like this, getting angry at nothing even though he had so many real things to get angry about. 

He knew Ross’s goons were hot on his trail. He knew they’d get him again, tie him down on that cold hard table for more of their ‘research’...He knew, ultimately, there was no escaping it; but at least he could stall it. Maybe, in the meantime, he could help people, or maybe somehow get himself killed. Death had never seemed so hard until now, and all he had to thank for that was himself. 

 

_ Weak Banner  _ echoed in his head. 

 

As if Bruce didn’t already know. 

 

He supposed he should try to wear some decent clothes for the weather; all he was wearing was a t-shirt right now, and he couldn’t help but think he was subconsciously stalling. He went to his closet, digging out the thickest sweater he could find, slipping off his t shirt and lingering in front of the mirror for a little bit. 

 

Bruce never really cared about his looks before the accident. He was decent looking enough, and he wasn’t out of shape. But ever since Ross, he’d grown a bit skinnier, and had so many scars. Lining his chest, his stomach, his back, his shoulders...anywhere were Ross decided he wanted to hurt him. There were also stretch marks on him now; on his sides and his arms, from when he changed into the Hulk. 

 

He was repulsed by his body now. 

 

He slipped the sweater over himself, averting his gaze from the mirror and picking his bag again. He was done taking last-looks. He shut off his lights, and slammed the door. 

 

-

 

Thor was always curious about Bruce’s scars. When he’d seen them for the first time, it had been a post Hulk-out, where Bruce was naked except for a towel around his waist. He’d seen them, on his chest and his back. They were so intricate, precise, like he’d had some sort of surgery done. Some of them looked almost like words, but maybe Thor was studying them too much. 

 

As far as he knew, Hulk’s injuries didn’t transfer to Banner. Hell, Hulk didn’t really  _ get  _ injuries. He regenerated quickly, and bullets bounced off of him as if he were made of metal. Thor found himself wondering where Bruce had even earned them; he wondered if it was a noble story. On Asgard, scars were seen as signs of a good warrior. 

 

The first one he’d noticed was on Bruce’s knuckles. 

 

“Make a fist,” he’d told him, right when they first met. He wanted to study it more; he wondered if he got it from hitting someone, or maybe from blocking something away. Nevertheless, it was probably the smallest one he had. 

One of the first times Thor made a trip into Bruce’s lab is when he asked. 

 

He always loved watching Banner work; it had been a habit of his when he walked passed the lab, gazing through the window at him until the Doctor just invited him inside. They usually made small talk, or enjoyed each other’s silence, until Thor couldn’t bare holding the question in any longer. 

 

“What do you mean?” Bruce had stopped, still after Thor had asked him, not even turning his head to look at him. 

 

“Your scars, Bruce,” he explained, smiling and leaning his head on his hand, his elbow resting on a table. He was sitting in Bruce’s office chair, watching him work from behind. “What battle are they from?” 

 

“They’re not from a battle,” he explained, slowly starting to do his work again. Thor thought he’d say more, but ended up being left in silence. 

 

“Then what? You have quite a lot of them. What foe were you facing?” 

 

“I wasn’t  _ facing  _ anyone. Please stop asking.” 

 

“But I just-” 

 

“ _ Thor _ ,” Bruce’s tone echoed through the lab. He still didn’t look at the god, just going still over whatever gadget he was working on assembling. “Don’t you have someplace to be?” 

 

Thor felt himself jolt a little in his chair, eyebrows raising at the sudden change of tone. He’d never really seen Dr. Banner show any sort of emotion that wasn’t just calm or quiet, or solemn. It startled Thor, but there was some part of him that was glad he’d slightly yelled. It was that day that Thor realized Bruce was holding things in. 

 

“I suppose I do,” Thor smiled and stood up. “I’m...Sorry, Bruce. I didn’t mean to pry. I’ll be more careful next time.” Bruce just nodded, and Thor grinned, patting him on the back and feeling him jump a little under his touch, but he didn’t move away. 

 

After that night, Thor made it his new mission to have Bruce express feeling. Of course, to do this, step one was happiness. He slowly figured out Bruce’s likes and dislikes from hanging around so much in the lab, realizing that Bruce loved plants. So, he bought Bruce some houseplants he saw at a store, and decorated them throughout his lab one night. That was one of the first times he saw Bruce smile. 

 

After that, he found more things that made Bruce show happiness. He’d bring him books, at first sticking to the scientific genre before realizing it made the scientist happy to have any sort of non-fiction topic, so things just accumulated from there. He’d also learned Bruce loved old movies, and had rented some and forced the scientist to take a break from working to show Thor his favorites. 

 

Soon, he’d smile so much more around Thor. It was like he was a flower, and Thor was showering rain down on him, and God was he beautiful once he bloomed. 

 

When they’d gotten together, Bruce seemed to want to do a lot of things for Thor. He was always buying him things; some of them Thor didn’t understand. There were odd items that Bruce said reminded him of Thor, one of them was a stuffed dog, others were various sweets or books humans had written about Norse mythology. At first, he seemed afraid of giving these gifts, but soon he’d be so nonchalant about them that he’d just show up with shopping bags and a hug. 

 

That’s when Thor knew Bruce trusted him. 

 

That’s when Thor asked him again, about the scars. 

 

That’s when Thor found out about Thaddeus Ross. 

 

-

[BACK TO PRESENT] 

 

“We need to run, Bruce. Now.” He felt like he was begging him. He’d reached up, holding Bruce’s face in his hands and staring at him. He couldn’t help but think that Bruce looked like a ghost in all of this fog, that he’d slip through his fingers and Thor wouldn’t be able to do a thing about it. “I know you just met your cousin again, and I know it might be hard but- They’re going to come for you.” 

 

“We have a court date, Thor, they won’t just come and take me away,” Bruce’s voice was soft, and on any other day it would have been calming to him, but now it felt bittersweet. He knew Bruce was trying to help him, but he couldn’t help feeling stuck; he could almost hear Loki’s voice in his head.  _ You fell in love with a mortal, and an outlaw.  _

 

“We need to skip it. We need to just go- I can take you off planet- hell, Bruce, lets go to  _ Sakaar,  _ I don’t care. We need to go.” He’d adjusted himself, now holding Bruce’s hands over his lap. He searched his face for some sort of response, for  _ anything,  _ but Bruce’s expression was unreadable. 

 

“Thor…-” 

 

“I know what you’re going to say, Bruce, but I’m begging you not to say it,” he held Bruce’s hand up, folding it into a fist and kissing the scar on his knuckles. There were more tears forming in his eyes, and lightning struck outside. “Please. Just don’t say it. Just come with me.” 

 

Bruce unfurled his hand, moving it to touch Thor’s cheek and shaking his head. “Thor...I’ve ran once. And I had even less then than I have now and I still couldn't deal with leaving it. I can’t run from...From  _ them.  _ From our friends, from Jennifer...Thor, I don’t  _ want  _ to run.” 

 

“And what if they take you away, then? You’ll be leaving, just the same. Bruce, if we go now, we can go  _ together. _ ” 

 

“Please, don’t do this, Thor,” he leaned down, resting his forehead on Thor’s, closing his eyes. “Please, let’s just...Go back to not thinking about it.” 

 

“You want this,” Thor’s breath caught in his throat as he pulled away from Bruce, shaking his head and staring at him. “Don’t you?” 

 

Bruce hesitated, not saying anything for what seemed like minutes. “I-...” 

 

Thor just stood up, grabbing his axe and starting to walk out the door. He heard Bruce call him, heard his footsteps behind him, but he just kept walking. He couldn’t hear anything soon, the rhythm of his heart beat in his ears, pounding like a drum and drowning the world out. He couldn’t be here. He needed to think. 

 

He didn’t know if Bruce followed him to the roof or not. He didn’t look back. He raised his axe in the air and let the lightning take him away. 

 

-

 

Tony had just been heading out when he saw Bruce. 

 

He looked  _ terrible.  _ And not the usual terrible that Bruce usually looked, (lack of sleep and worry all fusing in at once), a different kind of bad that made Tony worry, even though he’d never admit it. Bruce was staring out the window, folding over his hands the way he did when he was nervous. He was dripping wet from rain, and he looked absolutely pitiful. 

 

He supposed he had some time to kill. 

 

“Hey buddy,” he clapped his hand on his friend’s shoulder, feeling him jump under his touch, something he hadn’t done since they’d first met. He turned to look at him, only for Tony to realize there was a hint of red under his eyes that he seemed to try and wipe away. “I know there’s not really a point in asking this, but is everything alright?” 

 

“Thor…” he looked back to the window, pulling his gaze away from Tony and pausing. “He left. I don’t know where he went, but he was...Angry. At me.” instead of looking out the window, he was looking at the floor now. It had been a while since Tony had seen him this bad; he'd been pretty happy ever since he got together with Thor. Sure, he was against PDA, (even though Thor broke that role sometimes), but with the small, dorky smiles Tony had noticed from across the lab had said enough about Bruce's recent state.

 

“Uh oh,” Tony patted Bruce on the shoulder. “Hey, want me to cancel my plans? You can talk to me about your little relationship issue if you need to, I don’t mind.” Truth was, Tony had really been wanting to go through with his plans- but hey, what could he say, he was a really good friend. After all, Bruce was always there to listen to Tony. He fell asleep sometimes, but Tony couldn't really blame him considering both of their sleeping schedules were the same since they'd started working together, and he was just as tired as Bruce was. 

 

Bruce just shook his head. “You can go, I-” Bruce was suddenly interrupted by a quiet crackle, followed by a gold ring on the floor, circling around him like a sparking snake, his eyes wide as he stared at it. “What-” Tony reached out, grabbing Bruce's arm cautiously. He knew what this was, but he didn't want Hulk to make any guest appearances, especially considering where Bruce was headed. 

 

“Hey- calm down, it’s just Stephen,” Tony reassured, although he was pretty confused as well. Why out of all people did he need Bruce? He knew Stephen had to deal with potential threats to the world, but Bruce had seemed to have more of a lid on Hulk than he ever did before. Bruce was looking back and forth between Tony and the ring. 

 

“ _ Who- _ ” Bruce started, but was interrupted by the ground suddenly giving away under him, yelling as he fell through the floor. Tony couldn’t help but chuckle a little as a small piece of paper fluttered toward the floor. It was kinda cute, how Stephen still thought he needed his address; but he supposed it was a nice sentiment. 

 

By the time Tony arrived, it seemed Bruce was already having a mindfuck. Sure, he and Stephen had met briefly during their fight with Thanos, but never in  _ detail.  _ He was following Stephen around looking like a lost puppy when Tony had swung the door open, smirking at them. 

 

“You couldn’t have teleported me, too? Rude.” He walked up in front of Stephen, crossing his arms over his chest and grinning. 

 

“Quiet, Stark. This doesn’t concern you,” he said. Tony just told him to shut up, pointing at his lips and earning a quick kiss from the wizard. Tony always loved teasing him like this; he knew Stephen wouldn’t really be able to resist doing the affectionate shit he did, so getting a small reaction out of him was the cherry on top of all of this. 

 

“What the Hell?” Bruce interrupted their little back-and-forth, giving Tony one of the most amused gazes he’d gotten from him in a while. “This is the new guy you’re dating? Not that you’re not- I mean-” 

 

Stephen gave him an unamused look. 

 

“-It’s just...Surprising.” Bruce finished, seeming a little flustered at the two’s PDA. Tony just smirked. Finally, some payback. 

 

“Ok, we don’t have time for this,” Stephen continued, and teleported them all into the library. Tony was used to this, but he couldn’t help busting out in laughter when Bruce nearly stumbled into a bookshelf. “Dr Banner, I believe someone you know is planning something very… threatening, and we don’t have a lot of options so we need to act fast.” 

 

“Wait- Who? Thor?” Bruce asked, adjusting his coat and walking closer to observe the book Stephen was reading. 

 

Stephen snapped the book shut before looking down at Bruce, a look in his eyes that Tony couldn't distinguish. “No. Thaddeus Ross.” 

 

-

 

Thor didn’t really know where he was going. He needed to just go, go go go and not think about anything for a while. He ended up just zapping over to the hotels the Asgardians were staying in. 

 

It wasn’t rare for him to come down here; he made sure to visit at least once a week, handle any problems that arised, though there weren’t much. The asgardians were loving their time on Midgard; they were like tourists, always shopping and visiting central park. It was nice, that they were having a good time, it was one less worry Thor had to deal with. 

 

Right now, though, there were only two people he felt like talking to, and he stormed right up to their room. He’d been here so much that the workers in the lobby didn’t even ask him for credentials any more, so he was free to stomp up the stars, neglecting to knock as he pushed himself into the room number he’d memorized by now.

 

Midgardian music was blastic so loud he could hear it before he even entered. Brunhilde and Loki were sitting in their master suite, Loki leaning against the bed, painting his nails as Brunhilde braided his hair while simultaneously drinking a bottle of wine. Their music was so loud they couldn’t hear Thor come in until he bashed his hand on the top of their stereo. 

 

Loki was so startled his nail polish splashed across his hand, causing him to curse and glare daggers at his brother. “What the Hell is your problem?” Brunhilde kicked Loki away, letting the braid untangle itself as she laid back on the bed, already seeming a little tipsy. 

 

“Put the music back on.” She whined as Thor sat on the bed next to the one they were on. 

 

Thor felt the lightning crackling up his fingertips as he clenched his fists, letting his head rest against them as he caught his breath. He couldn’t lie; being his own bifrost was exhausting, but being this angry at something he couldn’t even pinpoint was just as tiring. 

 

“Banner’s getting taken,” Thor growled through heavy breathes. “And there’s nothing I can do.” When he said it out loud, he’d realized how stupid he’d sounded. Of course there was nothing he could do; this wasn’t his fight, and he tried to decide how to win it for Bruce. He tried to force him into something, and he realized he wasn’t angry at Bruce anymore. He never was. 

 

“Well, that’s not fun,” Brunhilde was sitting up now, giving him a tired glance as she opened up another beer bottle. “And why isn’t there anything you can do? You’re a God. He adores you. Seems like there’s lots of things you can do.” 

 

“Because he’s made his decision,” Thor grumbled, running his fingers through his hair and sighing to himself. “And it’s a stupid decision, and I can’t even change his mind.” Thor felt anger rise up to his chest again. He felt so stuck; he just wanted what was best for Bruce, and Ross definitely wasn’t it. But sometimes Bruce could be too stubborn for his own good. 

 

“Oh, God, did you two break up?” Loki chimed in, annoyance heavy in his tone. “I swear, I can’t nurse you through another break up, brother.” 

 

“No- we didn’t, it’s not- just listen to me,” he rose up more, staring at the both of them. They were his dearest friends, but sometimes they could be so fucking difficult- but the way they looked back at him, it filled him with some sort of hope, which he supposed he needed right now. “I need your help.” 

 

They paused, seeming to understand he was serious.

 

“We’re listening.” 

 

-

 

The faint, red glow was one of the most beautiful sights he’d ever seen. This, this is what all those years had been working up to...This little bit of energy was all he needed, and then all this time would be made up for. The room was dark, the only light source being what was right in front of them and the computer monitors behind him. He couldn't help but feel nervous; it was the more giddy type of nervous, like he was a kid in a candy store and he'd finally gotten his treat.

 

“Are you sure about this, General Ross?” 

 

“I’ve been sure for years. Get it ready.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oof im sorry if this chapter felt a little rushed! its getting more plot heavy and im trying to keep it thruce centric but my mind is subconsciously making this the hulk solo film we all want oops,, but i hope you still liked it! 
> 
> hmu on tumblr @fruit-butt 
> 
> i love anyone who comments!


	5. Welcome to the Human Race

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Tell me, Dr. Banner, does it feel good to torture yourself?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: there's mild torture at the beginning of this, so if that's not your deal, I suggest skipping the first part or staying away from this chapter!

It was cold, too cold, pressing up against his back and making his spine ache. The straps holding him down could be a lot looser; it wasn’t like he was going to try to escape. Everything hurt, and if he moved it just made it worse. There were cuts, down  his sides and on his shoulders, as well as fresh bruises everywhere and anywhere. 

 

And that wasn’t even the worst of it. 

 

He was strapped to a metal table, one that he didn’t even know what’s use was other than torture.There were blood stains on the steel, his  _ own  _ blood, and Bruce worried that if he looked at them again that he’d start dry-heaving puke again. 

 

He knew why they were doing this. They were trying to get the Other Guy- (what were they calling him again, Hulk?) out, they wanted to test him out, to see how much of a weapon he could really be. As if they didn’t already know. 

 

“It’s a shame,” Ross’s voice pained his ears to hear, and he felt his fists absent mindedly clench under their straps. “That such great power is wasted on someone like  _ you.  _ You could be helping people....” 

 

Ross picked something up off the table beside him, walking up next to Bruce and pausing for a second. Bruce then felt a cold, ripping pain in his shoulder as Ross jabbed the knife through him, keeping it there as Bruce sprang up in shock, only to be restrained by the straps. His head slammed back down on the table as he felt the Other Guy, the  _ Hulk _ , start to rise in him. 

 

_ No, you can’t. Not ever.  _ He answered the loud roaring in his mind the best he could, but his head was spinning in pain and his vision was speckled with white. He was panting, closing his eyes tight and feeling tears burn under them. 

 

“...But instead,” Ross continued, pulling the knife out and walking back to the other table. “You choose to do this. To keep it down.” Ross heard the knife drop on the table beside him as sobs raked through him, whimpers of pain slipping out without him even thinking about it. 

 

“Tell me, Dr. Banner, does it feel good to torture yourself?” 

 

-

 

[PRESENT DAY, ONE DAY UNTIL FORCED ARREST] 

 

Thor couldn’t think about it. 

 

He’d chosen to storm away from Bruce, to waste his last day with him, to make plans with Brunhilde and Loki while drowning everything away with Asgardian alcohol. He’d crashed on the floor after Loki kicked him out of his bed, but he was perfectly happy to just pass out on the ground. 

 

In the morning, he’d wanted to sleep; sure, Asgardians didn’t get hangovers as bad as humans did, but it still wasn’t pleasant to chug a bunch of drinks and then sleep on a carpet with nothing but a throw pillow. However, today was the court date, and today was when they (possibly) needed to put their plan in action, so Thor had to drag Loki and Brunhilde out of bed. 

 

The truth was, they didn’t even have much of a plan. The only real rule was to not let them take Bruce, but it was when Thor woke up did he realize how stupid that was. Sure, maybe one of them could  use a spell and change to look like Bruce, take his place and then fight their way out, but Thor had come to realize that wouldn’t free Bruce in the long run; it would just make him, (and the Asgardians, for that matter) look more violent. 

 

Even so, they went with it. Thor didn’t know how Midgardian court worked, so he decided his best bet would be to just take Loki and Brunhilde to the tower and discuss their ‘plan’ with the rest of the Avengers. Once the three of them were ready, Thor teleported them to the roof of the tower, stopping them before they entered. He grabbed their shoulders, pulling them back and stood between them and the door. 

 

“Before you enter, listen to me,” Thor’s voice was harsh, as if he were talking to misbehaving children. Brunhilde crossed her arms over her chest, and Loki looked amused but understanding. He knew how the Avengers felt about him. “You have to be polite. No...breaking things, no raiding the alcohol and no... _ Killing  _ anyone. Act as if you were born on Midgard.” 

 

Brunhilde and Loki smiled, looking up at Thor and agreeing. Thor smiled back, patting them on the shoulders before entering with them. 

 

God, was it a bad idea. 

 

The moment Brunhilde entered, she started talking in an American accent, folding her arms in front of her and acting amazed by everything. “Oh, wow! Look at this place,  _ Thor, _ ” she said, annunciating the ‘r’ in Thor a little more than he would’ve liked. “Golly, it’s so fancy.” 

 

“I agree,” Loki’s voice sounded strikingly different, and that’s when Thor realized he’d shape-shifted into Cap again, in full uniform, looking around the room in amazement. “God, bless this country for building such a fantastic space.” 

 

Thor groaned, stopping them before they entered the living room and glaring. “I’m being serious. Please, just do this for me, ok?” 

 

“Thor?” Clint’s voice interrupted him, and Thor let his head hang down, breathing out a heavy sigh. “What’s going on? Why is Cap in uniform- wait, who’s…” he looked at Brunhilde, and Thor waved him off. 

 

“No- uh, don’t worry about it, we’re just-” 

 

He saw Loki shift back from the corner of his eye, cursing himself for bringing his brother along when he saw the glint of panic in Clint’s eye. He started to storm toward Loki before Thor brought an arm between the two, wanting to smack his brother for smiling.    
  


“Hello, Clint.” Loki said in a voice that was somewhere between innocent and intimidating, and for a moment Thor considered tying him up outside. 

 

“Hey, what’s going on?” Cap’s voice interrupted, causing a small bit of relief to spread through Thor. They were all there except for Tony and Bruce, and Thor felt a pang of worry hit his stomach, but he shook it off. He was sure they were just getting ready to go to court. 

 

Clint gave Loki one last glare before stepping back and joining the others. All eyes were on Loki, with a few questioning glances at Brunhilde, who was mostly just keeping to herself. Thor didn’t really know why he didn’t just leave them on the roof, but he supposed they’d have to get used to seeing Loki again anyway. 

 

“Nothing terrible, don’t worry,” Thor smiled at his teammates, clapping Loki on the shoulder. “He’s good now. And we have a plan.” Thor was smiling proudly in front of his friends, who were still slouched unenthusiastically. The rest of the team just stared in fear. 

 

-

 

The team had decided to discuss Thor’s plan over breakfast, (Clint couldn’t stop whining about how hungry he was), which has been an experience in of itself. Everyone was used to Thor eating tons of food, but Brunhilde was arguably even worse. While Thor had picked up midgardian table manners, Brunhilde was sloppy, while also requesting beer instead of any other drink. 

 

After they finished explaining, the rest of the team exchanged looks, as if beckoning each other to say something. The only one who spoke up was Steve. “Your plan is...Creative, but I’m not sure it’s quite a good idea to treat this like a mission. I know you care about him, Thor, but sometimes with stuff like this you have let it happen, so the people feel safe.” 

 

Loki scoffed at that, and suddenly all eyes were on him as he cut himself a piece of egg. “What? The people will  _ never  _ feel safe, so what’s the point? Anarchy is good for a society,” 

 

Thor piled more food onto Loki’s plate, glaring at him and resisting the urge to hit him. “Brother, shut up and eat your breakfast.” Loki put his hands out in front of him, a small smirk on his face before he began chowing down again. It was odd having him here, it felt like two worlds colliding, but not in a good way. 

 

“I know we don’t want to make a mess of things, but if you let us do this, we can sa-” 

 

They were interrupted by a sudden ring forming in the air beside the table, sending sparks flying everywhere. In just a couple of seconds, the entire table was up and alert with weapons drawn, huddled together like a wolf pack, staring at the ring as a figure started to emerge from it. 

 

“That’s no way to treat a guest,” Tony stepped through the ring, smirking as someone pushed him the rest of the way out. He was followed by Stephen and Bruce, both of them looking unamused at Tony as the ring behind them fizzled away in a crackling of sparks. 

 

“Little guy!” Brunhilde greeted Bruce, waving at him and smirking. Thor felt his heart pound, wanting to run to Bruce, but he didn’t know if this was a good time. The three of them looked pretty serious, even Stark, as the rest of the Avengers put their weapons away. He saw Bruce give Brunhilde a small wave before the wizard began talking. 

 

“Ross is planning something bigger than any of this. The court case doesn’t matter anymore, this is a threat bigger than anyone getting imprisoned,” though he was warning them, he seemed like he was rushing to get the words out, as if he had something better to do. “I can’t tell you anything else but that.”

“Wait,” Steve pushed past a couple of the Avengers to face Stephen, eyebrows furrowed as he looked down at him. “You need to tell us. If there’s a threat, we need to know how to stop it.” He had a point. Thor was already thinking about going over and striking Ross down where he stood, but he supposed some simple instructions wouldn’t hurt. 

 

“I can’t do that. The chance of you coming out victorious are already small enough. I can’t risk having you fuck it up more by telling you ways to do it,” Steve looked mildly offended, and Thor was about to storm toward the wizard when he suddenly summoned another ring, stepping through it and letting it close behind him. 

 

Tony patted Steve on the shoulder. “Ease up, Soldier. We have a party at the courthouse in an hour.” 

 

Thor took a deep breath, glaring at Stark. Did he know what would happen? Did Stephen tell him? Just as he was about to pry him for information, he felt a hand clasp around his wrist. He turned to see Loki looking over at him, the same serious stare he had when he needed to calm him down. 

 

“Brother. Ease up.” That’s when Thor realized there had been sparks dancing down his fingers. He took a deep breath, hoping he hadn’t scared anyone when he turned back to where Bruce had been standing; but he was gone. Thor couldn’t help feel guilty, but perhaps he was just getting ready. 

 

“Alright everyone,” Steve said, brushing Tony’s hand off his shoulder. “Get ready. May wanna bring some tricks up your sleeve in case Ross pulls anything.” before he left, he turned to look back at the Asgardians, pointing at them. “If Ross gets out of hand, use your plan.”

 

Just like that, everyone had separated to their rooms except for Thor, Brunhilde and Loki, who didn’t really need to use changing rooms in the first place. Thor pulled out a chair, sitting down and running his fingers through his hair. 

 

“You alright, your highness?” he heard Brunhilde ask, pausing and letting his elbows rest against the table. He took a deep breath, then turned to look over at the door to he and Bruce’s room. 

 

“...Yeah. Yeah, I’ll be fine.” 

 

-

 

Bruce had to admit, he didn’t look that bad in a suit. 

 

It didn’t feel the most comfortable, though; he was stiff, and not to mention a tad bit shaky and sweaty from all this stress. The dress shirt was itchy as hell, too, and that didn’t help. He tried his best to fix his hair, but the messy tangle of curls wouldn’t cooperate, so he gave up. It would probably be out of character for him not to look a little scrappy, after all. 

 

He moved out of his bathroom, walking out to look at himself in the full-body mirror. He adjusted his belt, not paying attention when the door creaked open from behind him. 

 

“You look nice, Doctor,” the familiar voice made him jump, hands fumbling over his belt. He looked back up at the mirror, seeing Director Fury walking in behind him, his hands behind his back. “It’s weird to see you in something not borrowed or ripped. Or, both.” 

 

Bruce looked back down, chuckling and fixing his belt, running his fingers through his hair in a sorry attempt to make it look nicer. “You here to just take me away now?” he asked, his voice in it’s all-business mode. “Spare me the court date?” 

 

“Not quite,” he walked forward, reaching in his pocket and pulling something out of it, holding it toward Bruce. It was a small, black comb. How thoughtful, considering Fury didn’t even have hair. Bruce raised his eyebrows and took it, looking in the mirror as he fixed his curls. “I’m here to make sure your little buddy doesn’t destroy the courtroom.” 

 

“Ah,” Bruce turned back to him, passing back the comb. “I thought that was my job.” 

 

“If it was, we wouldn’t be here, Banner.” Bruce’s face fell as Nick turned away, starting to walk toward the door. “I’m not here to make you feel bad. I have faith in you, Doc, maybe more than you’ll ever believe me for. Just try not to get too pissed off.” 

 

He was out the door before Bruce could respond. 

 

It was typical, really; Bruce had never fully trusted Fury. He was pretty sure he knew that, but he still seemed to keep track of him, nonetheless. Not that it didn’t make sense; so many people were keeping track of Bruce that at this point it didn’t phase him too much. He wondered if he should have ran with Thor after all. 

 

Thor. 

 

He needed to talk to him. He started pacing for the door, opening it only to smack into something,  _ someone,  _ waiting inches from the entrance to his room. He heard the person gasp, grasping onto Bruce’s shoulders and pushing himself back. 

 

“I’m so sorry,” Thor said, and Bruce’s neck went hot. He hadn’t even thought of what to say yet, and he’d quite literally just crashed into Thor without the chance to even think about it. He looked up at him, silent for a few seconds, too aware of Thor’s hands on his shoulders. Was he still angry? 

 

Thor looked back for a few moments before finally speaking up. “Can I…?” 

 

Bruce couldn’t resist anymore, throwing his arms around him and breathing out a long sigh. This could be his last time being alone with Thor, his last time feeling his arms slide back around him, hugging him back desperately as Bruce buried his face in his shoulder. They were silent for a few seconds before bruce spoke up. 

 

“I’m sorry,” he whispered into Thor’s chest, pulling back a little. “I’m so sorry, honey..” he still wasn’t looking up at him, he couldn’t; he felt like if he did all the tears he was holding back would burst out, and he couldn’t cry right now. He couldn’t put Thor through that. 

 

He felt the warmth of Thor’s hands holding his cheeks, moving his face up and seeing Thor shake his head slowly. “My love...you have no reason to apologize. I should be the one...” he drew in a deep, shaky breath. “I tried to force you. I was angry, I was angry at Ross, I’m so sorry, Bruce…” 

 

“I...still can’t run,” Bruce moved his hands to Thor’s chest. He was wearing a suit as well, and Bruce wished he had time to admire him in it. He grabbed onto the fold in his suit coat gently, looking up at him. “You know that, right?” He felt Thor’s arms tighten around his middle, and for what could be the last time, he felt the safest he’d ever been. 

 

“I know,” Thor was whispering now, leaning in so that their foreheads touched gently. Bruce relaxed into the warmth the other man was giving off, watching as Thor’s blue eyes started to cloud with tears. “And no matter what happens, if they take you away, I will wait for you, Bruce. I will wait all of my remaining years until you’re safe with me again.” 

 

Bruce moved his hand to Thor’s cheek, wiping a stray tear away and closing his eyes. “Thank you…” was all he could find it in himself to say, his throat twinging in raw pain as his voice threatened to break. He swallowed back his emotions, keeping them down. It wasn’t hard, he had so much practice with the Hulk; but usually with Thor, he could let them spill out. Holding them in with Thor felt like he was keeping a secret. 

 

When Bruce opened his eyes, Thor just moved his hand to the back of his head, pulling him into a desperate kiss. Bruce sunk into it, his lips still and slightly parted until he returned it, moving his arms up Thor’s back. For a second, he could pretend that everything was okay, that none of this was happening. 

 

When they pulled back, Thor just wrapped him in another hug, and Bruce heard him take in a shaky breath. “...Please, don’t forget about me, Bruce.” 

 

Bruce pulled out of the hug, holding Thor’s face in his hands as he gave him a small smile, his eyes tracing every detail of the God’s features. “You worry about the oddest things, sometimes,” he whispered, before planting a kiss to his forehead. “Of course I’ll never forget you.” 

 

They pulled back when they heard people entering the room, Thor wiping tears away and seeming to collect himself as Tony clapped Bruce on his shoulder. “You ready to go?” 

 

Bruce’s gaze lingered on Thor for a few seconds before he nodded, sighing. “Ready as I’ll ever be.” 

 

-

 

The court room was  _ packed.  _

 

There wasn’t a single seat that wasn’t taken, and there wasn’t a silent person in the room. Mumbles roared in a soft hum over the whole place, and at the corners of the walls were news reporters and cameras. Bruce and Ross were both the last people to come in. 

 

Ross had military guards around him as he walked down with his lawyer, taking his seat as cameras flashed all around him. Bruce was only accompanied by Jen, looking at his feet as he walked down. The noise around him was blurred in his ears, the clicking of the cameras going unnoticed through averted eyes. This would be a long day. 

 

The first to talk was Ross’s lawyer. He was a tall, skinny man, and he looked like he was the oldest one in the room. He had a slight hunch to him, and Bruce couldn’t help but notice that he looked like a villain from a Disney movie. 

 

He moved to the podium, placing a bony hand on the bible as he swore to tell the truth. That’s when Bruce realized they were wheeling in a TV, and he felt himself freeze up. He thought something like this would happen, but not this early. He wasn’t ready this early. 

“As you all may know, my client has had a close, personal relationship with Dr.Banner. In this relationship, he was very trusting, giving him a high-level job fairly quickly. Of course, he trusted Banner, which is where all of our flaws with this  _ weapon _ lie,” Bruce cringed a little at the use of the phrase “close personal relationship” as well as “weapon”. “Of course, the weapon is useful for when otherworldly threats show themselves, but can this thing be trusted when there are no fights to be had? That’s the question I’m asking all of you today. The question of trust. 

 

“We’ve placed our trust in all of the Avengers,” he went on, the TV beside him flashing pictures of each different Avenger, fighting off aliens or protecting someone. “And this trust, this...faith, hasn’t gone unproved. But as the old saying goes,” the TV then flickered to a video, a black and white video shot from what looked like a security camera. Bruce had never seen this before. 

 

It showed soldiers, he couldn’t tell from what country, shooting at something as others ran. It wasn’t long before Hulk was in the view of the shot, yelling and hitting the soldiers away, slamming them into the ground or the wall. It was then that Hulk picked up one of the remaining soldiers, slamming him into the security camera itself. When it fell, it fell right beside the soldier, filming right into the man’s now lifeless stare. 

 

“....One bad apple rots the bunch.” 

 

The murmuring and gasps from the courtroom were drowned out through the heartbeat in Bruce’s ears. He felt like he was going to be sick. He was clenching his fists so hard, feeling sweat on his fingernails as he dug them into the palms of his hands. _ Keep it together, you can’t freak out here, that’s just what Ross wants.  _

 

“This footage was just on a battlefield, when the weapon was being used by the Avengers for good,” the lawyer went on. “However, the  _ cruelty  _ and  _ brutality  _ shown by it shouldn’t be taken lightly. Dr. Banner can’t control his emotions forever, I’m afraid, and he’s already unleashed his weapon on innocent people. My client has put his trust in this man before, but how many innocent people must he kill for us to lose his trust? When does a hero turn into a killing machine?”

 

-

[3 YEARS AGO, AVENGERS COMPOUND] 

Sometimes the days had gone by too fast for Bruce to really handle them. It was different when him and Tony shared a lab; he would start to follow his routines, and eventually leave when he did. But now that Bruce had his own, getting him to come out could be like pulling teeth. 

 

It wasn’t that he didn’t want to see his friends. It was never like that. 

 

Sometimes he just needed to feel like the world was a little smaller.

 

He’d sit there, his back protesting as he refused to switch from his hunched over position, sometimes studying the same thing for hours on end. He’d brush his fingers down his chin, feeling the scratchy dark stubble that he hadn’t shaved in days. He’d pass out and wake up, not knowing how long he’d been asleep. 

 

And then Thor had started hanging out with him. 

 

He’d come into his lab after knocking on the glass door or waving at Bruce through the windows and making faces at him until he eventually gave in and opened the doors. He would ask Bruce questions, but not the kind of annoying ones he was used to. Thor was interested, he was trying to learn, for whatever reason, and eventually Bruce enjoyed having some company. 

 

Tony would still visit and work with him often, but now when he did it was a party of 3. He always complained, talking about how Thor had never been interested in science, about how he was taking up space; all in a joking manner, of course. But the God just stayed at Bruce’s side like a loyal puppy. 

 

Those were the good times. The times before Bruce broke the lab. 

 

It wasn’t on purpose, really; he’d been doing his usual binge, not leaving the lab for days. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been away from this spot, hunched over his table and doing tests on different groups he’d created months ago. Sometimes, being this close to gamma energy was frightening. Sometimes, it was  _ overwhelming.  _

 

He thought of himself as a responsible person; he was careful, and he had hands as steady as a surgeon. But gamma energy was different, it was uncontrollable, it was spontaneous, and despite Bruce’s best efforts to protect it, sometimes it got away from him. 

 

He was focused on the computer screen that was giving him charts of the rising and falling levels when he saw a green glow out of the corner of his eye. The tank the energy was in was whirring and lighting up, the noise getting louder and louder and all Bruce could try to do to protect it was clasp his hand over it, shutting his eyes tight as he felt the similar force slam him into his lab table, ears ringing as he felt it give away under him. 

 

He was stunned for a moment, vision white as he panicked about how he was going to tell Tony he’d ruined the lab that was made specifically for him, that he’d destroyed all the data he’d been collecting for months. He felt arms slide around him, lift him off the broken table and whisper something to him that he couldn’t understand. 

 

“Bann….Can you…. _ Banner _ ,” his hearing steadied itself, and his eyes blinked open. The explosion suddenly felt like hours ago, and he found himself staring at his hands. There was the slightest bit of green fading from them, and as soon as he saw it he fought to get up, only to have the arms around him hold him down. 

 

“What did I do…?” he whispered, staring at the destruction of the lab around him. Had there even  _ been  _ an explosion? Did he Hulk out without even noticing it? His mind was reeling, and he had no idea if it was even the same day. 

 

He turned to see that Thor was the one holding him down, and felt his face flush slightly as he ran his fingers through his hair, trying to get up again, but Thor wouldn’t let him. He looked at him, but Thor didn’t look back; he was staring at where Bruce’s computer had been. 

 

He couldn’t lie; having Thor’s arms around him after some sort of Hulk-out was comforting. He didn’t know why Thor was there; had he been in his lab and Bruce just hadn’t noticed? Or had he just come running at the sound of an explosion? Hell, they happened so often in Banner’s lab that even he had grown used to the noise. 

 

“You grabbed it,” Thor explained after a beat, seeming confused at his own words. “The exposed gamma energy. It didn’t even have time to explode, it was the quickest transition to the Hulk I’ve ever seen.” 

 

Bruce sighed, and Thor finally let him stand up, stepping over to where his desk had been and kneeling in front of it. 

 

“I think he’s trying to protect you, Banner.” 

 

Bruce let out a dry chuckle, picking up a piece of broken glass and staring at his reflection. 

 

“Maybe he is.” 

 

-

 

The cheering after Ross’s lawyer had been...Unsettling, to say the least. Thor wondered how someone could listen to such a fool; the video he’d shown had been an attack on an  _ enemy _ , and while it was violent, Thor couldn’t wrap his head around why everyone saw it as such a crime. All of the Avengers did things like that; they practically fought wars, after all. 

 

He was glad to see that Jennifer was up next. Bruce always spoke so proudly of her talent when it came to this, and seeing her walk so confidently to the podium made Thor’s faith come back slightly. He’d been a little distracted while Jen was giving her oath to tell the truth; he was looking over the heads of people to try to see Bruce, to try and gauge how he was feeling, but he ended up having a hand on his shoulder pull him down. 

 

“Easy, Hercules, you’re blocking my view,” Stark said, and Thor sat himself back down with a sigh. The only ones here apart from  he and Stark were Stark’s friends; the woman with the hair that was like fire, and the man called Happy who never seemed to live up to his name. He wondered why he’d brought them along; did they care about Bruce? He knew Stark did, though he didn’t seem to admit it much. 

 

Thor’s thoughts had been interrupted by a sudden hush over the crowd when Jennifer had started her talk. 

 

“My opponent had used the theme of trust in his argument, a point that we can all agree becomes quite blurry,” She then flipped through her notes, clearing her throat before she continued. “If we’re indeed using trust to justify who should be seen as a monster, then let’s have all of the facts from both sides. 

 

“Thaddeus Ross was in the army for years before rising to the job he has now. He was a simple man, however, some of the decisions that General Ross has made have crossed the line of trust,” Jennifer continued, her eyes on the crowd now. “As my opponent has explained, Dr.Banner worked for Ross, creating weapons for the military. What he didn’t say, however, was that those weapons weren’t the only things Ross wanted to use. Right after the gamma explosion happened, rather than searching for a cure, General Ross created a task force in order to capture Banner and use the Hulk as a weapon for the US military. And what would that be like? Well, it would be no different than the video we just watched.” Ross started to say something to interrupt her,  but was cut off by the  _ thwack  _ of the judge’s mallet on the table. “Hulk will always be treated like a weapon, because he fights any threat he faces. While Ross preaches against the Avengers using the Hulk, all he aims to do is the same. The only one that is truly fighting using the Hulk at all is Dr.Banner.” 

 

“Then why has he made himself into a weapon?” Ross’s lawyer interjected, and suddenly people in the court were talking, loud enough to where Jennifer could barely answer the question without being interrupted by the tons of voices. 

 

“He wouldn’t have if Ross hadn’t-” 

 

“So you’re saying the only one to blame is Ross?” 

 

That got the crowd talking even more, and Thor felt anger start to rise in his chest. He knew he had to keep it down; he couldn’t have a huge storm interrupting this, but it was hard not to. 

 

“Obviously not,” Jennifer continued. 

 

“So I ask you again, then, why has Banner done what he has done? Why has he made himself into this?” 

 

“It wasn’t-” 

 

“ _ Enough.  _ Order!” the judge yelled with a hearty  _ clap  _ of his mallet. “We will reconvene after a brief discussion without either party present.” 

 

Most people stayed in, but Thor, Jen, Bruce and Tony all went into the reserved conference room next to Ross’s. The second they made it out, Thor put his hands on Bruce’s shoulders, massaging them as they all took seats in the room, each one of them silent for a few moments. 

 

Bruce didn’t look as bad as Thor thought. He looked calm, like that calm where his voice spoke so sharply that it felt like it could shatter glass. His eyebrows were furrowed, and instead of saying anything, his gaze was set on the table. Thor rubbed gentle circles in his back as Jennifer and Tony started to talk about something it seemed neither Thor nor Bruce were listening to. 

 

“Bruce,” Thor spoke up, the scientist’s attention turning back toward him. “Are you going to be alright?” It’s not that Thor was worried Bruce would hulk out- none of them were. Out of anyone, the three of them knew how Bruce could keep a lid on it, how not just any stressful situation could have him change. However, he knew Bruce would have to make his own speech soon, and he couldn’t imagine how scared he was. 

 

He seemed to consider this before nodding, sighing and closing his eyes. “Yeah...Yeah. I’m alright,” he then took Thor’s hand from under the table, and Thor intertwined their fingers. He had so much he wanted to say, but before he could get another word out, Tony interrupted him. 

 

“We better get back out there. You alright, Brucie?” Tony reached over, patting him on the shoulder and showing one of the most genuine looks Thor had ever seen on the engineer’s face. 

 

Bruce nodded at his friend, getting to his feet and being the first one out the door. Thor followed after him, only for him to bump into Bruce’s back as he suddenly halted, staring up at someone who had blocked them from the door. They looked like an FBI agent, almost, but was one of the toughest (normal) humans Thor had ever seen. 

 

“Dr.Banner, the court has ordered you to be restrained for the remainder of your trial.” 

 

The clicks of the highly durable handcuffs had made Thor the angriest he’d been in a while. Bruce’s hands looked so small in the black, oversized cuffs, and Thor couldn’t help but storm up to the man, glaring so hard it made his forehead sore. 

 

“Do you think this is some sort of a joke?” He asked the man, towering over him and glaring. “Release him at once. There’s no reason he should be forced to wear those!” Thor’s voice was booming, but he didn’t care; he was fed up, with all of this. This court case shouldn’t even be  _ happening.  _ Bruce was a hero, but they were restraining him. They were afraid of him, and Thor hated everything about it. 

 

“Hey, Point Break, cool it,” He felt Stark’s hand on his shoulder but shrugged it off, not even turning to look at him as he stepped closer to the agent, fists clenched at his sides and sparking a little bit. He wasn’t going to hurt the man; the truth was, he had no idea what he was doing. He was just angry, and he felt almost possessed. 

 

He was about to demand again that Bruce be released when he felt both of his arms be seized, and a taser jab into his lower back. He thought he could hear Bruce and Tony yell something, but his ears were ringing from the pain as he squirmed, trying to break free as he was dragged to the door. He closed his eyes tight as he felt himself get thrown, grunting when his head slammed into the concrete. 

 

He could hear a few people gasp as he sat up, rubbing his head and where he’d gotten shocked as he took a few deep, angry breathes. Thunder rolled in the distance as he stood up, clenching his fists and beginning to storm back up the stairs before he caught a glimpse of the scene inside. 

 

Bruce was being guided back into the courtroom, this time by two FBI agents, Tony and Jennifer apart from him as the doors shut behind them. 

 

The thunder was replaced with heavy rain. 

 

Thor felt tears of confused anger and grief threaten his eyes before he felt a hand on his shoulder, instantly turning to look up at the potential threat. 

 

Steve was gripping Thor’s shoulder, looking concerned with raised eyebrows. Behind him were the rest of the Avengers, as well as Loki and Brunhilde, who looked the most bored Thor had seen them in a while. 

 

“I hope we aren’t too late.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're in the endgame now 
> 
> hmu on tumblr @fruit-butt 
> 
> comments are very appreciated!


	6. Monster

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I had to.” Ross argued, trying to pull the paper closer to him, but Tony kept his hand on it, shaking his head. 
> 
> “No,” Tony suddenly yanked the paper, ripping it in half and crumpling his piece of it up. “You didn’t.” He stepped back from the table, grabbing the rest of the files before storming out of the room, tossing the crumpled up paper in the trash as he left to visit an empty lab.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (TW FOR VIOLENCE & ABUSE) 
> 
> Wow this is really Bruce-centric so I apologize, I'm planning on making another fic that's more Thor centric after this one so I hope this is ok for now! I love my boy

Tony was never too fond of General Ross. 

 

Sure, he’d agreed to work with him, but that was nothing personal. He saw the faults in his actions, the faults in the Avengers, and Ross agreed with him. That was all. It had been painful, of course; the Avengers had become his dearest friends, no matter how pesky some of them could be. Fighting them had hurt, even when he didn’t want to admit it. 

 

Back then, he couldn’t help but wonder whose side Thor or Bruce would take. Of course, that was before he knew about Bruce’s past with Ross, but then again, Bruce was the kind of guy who wouldn’t be biased by that, he supposed. Part of him hoped that Bruce would’ve been on his side, but he knew they had bigger problems to worry about now. 

 

He remembered going to those meetings with Ross, discussing ideas about how to handle each Avenger. Usually those meetings were boring, considering a lot of them were about trying to track Cap and everyone else who had fled with him. Anything about Thor was short lived, considering he didn’t involve himself in ‘Midgardian’ affairs like these. The first time they had discussed Bruce was different. 

 

Ross had slid him a folder of papers, the same as he did with everyone else; it was always full of plans, or histories, or just information. He couldn’t help but notice that Bruce’s was the thickest folder yet. He flipped through it, not really paying much attention to Ross’s little speech from the front of the room; he couldn’t help think back to years ago, to Ultron, to when Bruce went missing and they’d eventually declared him dead. Tony didn’t believe it for a second. 

 

He was only distracted from this when he flipped to a particular page in the folder, interrupting Ross by putting his hand up, taking the paper out and studying it more. It showed statistics and conclusions of experiments, but not the kind you’d find at a doctor’s file cabinet. He couldn’t even read the rest of it before he slid it across the table toward Ross, ignoring the stares from everyone else seated at the table. 

 

“What the hell is this?” he asked, watching as Ross leaned over the paper, studying it before raising his eyebrows, looking up at Tony and seeming surprised. Granted, he usually stayed quiet in these meetings, but the things he saw on that paper proved him otherwise. “This is sick. You orchestrated this? These tests, they don’t  _ prove  _ anything.” 

 

“They do, in fact,” Ross picked up the paper and studied it, putting on his glasses and pacing back to the front of the room, setting the paper down across the table from Tony. “When you have a weapon as powerful as this one, you need to test what it can...Withstand. How it works, it’s very important to know.” 

 

“That’s not what you wanted,” Tony was standing now, walking to the front of the table, and trying to grab the paper before Ross suddenly set his hand on it as well, staring him directly in the eyes. There was a beat before Tony could speak up again. “You wanted to see how you could get him to transform.” 

 

“I had to.” Ross argued, trying to pull the paper closer to him, but Tony kept his hand on it, shaking his head. 

 

“No,” Tony suddenly yanked the paper, ripping it in half and crumpling his piece of it up. “You didn’t.” He stepped back from the table, grabbing the rest of the files before storming out of the room, tossing the crumpled up paper in the trash as he left to visit an empty lab. 

 

He sat in the chair that used to be Bruce’s, flipping through the papers with more attention to detail now. He stopped when he saw one specific headline, pulling it out from the folder, and reading the big bold letters at the top of it. 

 

_ “Planet Hulk”  _

 

-

 

[PRESENT DAY, COURTROOM, 0 DAYS UNTIL FORCED ARREST] 

 

“Mr.Stark will now testify,” the judge announced, claps echoing through the room as he approached the podium. Believe it or not, Stark seemed to enjoy this; he was good at shutting people down, at arguing, yet for some reason Bruce was surprised when he offered to testify for him. He supposed they were pretty good friends, by now. 

 

Bruce couldn’t help but be distracted by what the judge and Tony were saying; he couldn’t stop thinking about Thor getting angry, about getting thrown out. The handcuffs ached around his wrists, and he’d made himself more and more anxious every time he checked the door to see if Thor had returned. By his 4th or 5th time of looking, he finally saw him- but he wasn’t alone. 

 

He couldn’t lie, it felt awkward having Steve, Clint, Nat, Loki and Valkyrie all come here just for him, but he supposed he couldn’t question it. They were probably legally obligated to come, (aside from Loki and Valkyrie), but Bruce couldn’t help feeling a little self-conscious as he turned back to focus on the trial. 

 

“Mr.Stark, do you permit the use of this weapon?” the judge asked, his bony hands folded over the mallet on his desk.

 

“Which one? The big green one or the small weasley one?” A couple of people laughed in the crowd, but the judge didn’t seem to find the joke too funny. 

 

“Are you aware of the millions of dollars in property damage, as well as the hundreds of innocent lives that Dr.Banner has taken?” 

 

“Do you realize all you’re doing is describing anyone who fights threats and just putting his name on it?” Tony seemed a little agitated now, but he never really lost his cool. “The Avengers, and anyone else with these...powers, whatever you want to call them, they do the same thing. Ross never tried to stop it, either; he wants to use the ‘weapon’, so how is that any different than The Avengers?” 

 

“Most of the Avengers are in  _ control _ ,” the judge went on, and Bruce felt shivers crawl up his spine. He felt a hand lay on his wrist, and turned to see Jen giving him a sympathetic look. He gave her a small nod, turning his attention back to the podium. “How can we be sure he doesn’t lose control like he has done over and over? That he doesn’t hurt innocent people again without even an enemy there to fight?”

 

Tony suddenly looked at Bruce, his expression making him freeze. It was like he was staring at him, trying to find an answer, an answer that Bruce couldn’t give him. He couldn’t give that answer to  _ anyone _ , because he didn’t know it himself. All he could say was that Hulk was still good, good for now, and that he had control. But now Tony was staring, Bruce was still, wishing he could give him something. 

 

-

 

Bruce remembered the morning after he and Thor had fallen asleep together, sharing a bed on the Asgardian refugee ship. He was close to him, so close he could feel the warmth radiating off of him. He’d woken up early that day, and Thor was still fast asleep; probably exhausted after all he’d had to deal with the night before. He remembered kissing him, remembered falling asleep with their faces so close that it made Bruce’s heart flutter. 

 

For the first time, he felt safe, he felt  _ comforted,  _ which was rare considering he’d been Hulked-out the day before. He usually had nightmares, waking up in a cold sweat with a pounding headache. But all he woke up to now was the evenness of Thor’s breath, the warmth of his arms wrapped around his middle. It then hit him being this close with him, feeling this safe, it scared him. 

 

Before he had time to consider it, he saw Thor’s eyes open, blinking sleepily at Bruce and smiling. “Good morning, Banner,” he whispered, closing his eyes and sliding his arms a little tighter around him. “ _ Bruce. _ ” he said his name as if it were music, as if it made him happy just to say. 

 

“Morning,” Bruce answered, the temptation to lay with him more being clouded by the sudden worries that filled his head. He wasn’t normal, he couldn’t have  _ this,  _ but Thor was being so calm about everything. It made him feel unfit in the bed next to him, his skin going hot under the covers as he suddenly sat up, hearing a small whine from Thor as he sat on the edge of the bed, running his fingers through his hair. 

 

“Where’d you go?” Thor whispered, and Bruce felt Thor’s fingers trace something into his back. Bruce heaved out a sigh, letting his face rest in his hands as he shook his head, feeling the bed cave in as Thor suddenly sat up, moving closer to him. “Hey, are you alright?” Thor grabbed his wrist, gently pulling his hand away from his face. 

 

“I can’t do this, Thor,” he uttered, his voice soft and heavy with sleep. He ignored the worry in Thor’s face he saw out of the corner of his eye, staring at the wall in front of him as he listened to the distant hum of the ships engine. “The last time I was this close to someone-...It didn’t work out. And it wasn’t their fault, I….I hurt them, Thor.” 

 

He felt Thor’s hand slide up from his wrist, grabbing his hand as Bruce turned to look down at them. Thor frowned as he intertwined their fingers, and Bruce could feel his eyes on him. “You can’t hurt me, Bruce.” 

 

Bruce closed his eyes, rubbing them and sighing. “But I can’t be what you need me to be,” he murmured, stopping his hand on his forehead and letting his elbow rest on his leg. 

 

“Who said I needed you to be anything else than who you are?” Thor moved his thumb along Bruce’s knuckles, causing Bruce to look back over at him. He could feel his eyes glaze over with tears, but he fought back the urge to cry. He could always control his emotions, and the lump in his throat faded as soon as it came. “Bruce, I want  _ you. _ ” 

 

Bruce sighed, moving closer to him and feeling the warmth of Thor’s hand on his cheek. “I can’t promise you the other guy will agree,” he admitted, touching Thor’s hand and brushing his fingers against it. “I can’t promise that he’ll like you, that he won’t try to-...,” Bruce trailed off. “He’s the bad parts of me, Thor.” 

 

“There are no bad parts of you,” Thor had kissed him then, and Bruce couldn’t bring himself to pull back; he sank into it, as if he didn’t have to think about their discussion for a moment, as if he could pretend none of this was worrying him. When he pulled back, Thor stayed close to him.  “Not to me.”

 

“You might be the craziest man I’ve ever met. Or the stupidest,” Bruce said, giving in with a small smile as he gave Thor a shorter kiss. “You’re wonderful.  _ Thor. _ ” he said Thor’s name like it was music. 

 

-

 

“How can we be sure he doesn’t lose control like he has done over and over? That he doesn’t hurt innocent people again without even an enemy there to fight?”

 

The question made Thor even more angry. They didn’t know, they didn’t know how it worked, how much Bruce could control it now. He felt a hand grab his shoulder, and turned to see Steve giving him a concerned look. He waved him off, furrowing his eyebrows and waiting for Stark’s answer. 

 

“Because he’s not a weapon,” Tony said finally, seeming to look directly at Ross as he spoke. “Because he’s not the Hulk. Because out of anyone that could use him, he knows how to control it the most. Because he’s not as fragile as you make him out to be, nor as dangerous. He’s an Avenger,” Stark continued, looking at Ross’s lawyer now. “And if you’re gonna lock him up, you may as well take the rest of us.” 

 

A silence stretched over the entire courtroom. 

 

“Thank you, Mr.Stark,” a bit of scattered applause erupted through the room as Tony walked back, taking his seat next to Thor and the others. He eyed Steve and the rest of the Avengers through his tinted glasses. “Nice of you to join us.” 

 

Steve looked back at him from over Thor, nodding at him. “You did good, Stark.” 

 

“Save it for when we win, Rogers.” 

 

They’d all been too distracted to notice that it was Ross’s turn to be questioned now, watching as he stepped over to the podium, two military officers standing next to him. Figures. The judge seemed to shuffle through paperwork before clearing his throat, banging his mallet on the table to silence the room. 

 

“General Ross, what do you have to say about the accusations you’ve made against Dr. Banner?” 

 

“It saddens me,” Ross started, his voice straight and steady as he spoke, switching his gaze between the judge and the audience. “That a man I once trusted so much has turned out to be such a menace. I suppose even government officials can’t help but give flawed trust at times. Banner has hurt my soldiers, my country, and even my daughter,” Thor saw Bruce grimace at that, and Thor wondered what it meant. “And yet he continues to believe that he isn’t a threat to this world. I believe that my accusations are valid; he is a monster, and a weapon, and the only thing he should be used for is the military, where he can be kept contained and locked up when he’s not on the battlefield.” 

 

“How would you execute this plan?” 

 

“We’ve already made facilities capable of holding him. All we need from him is cooperation and understanding, and we’ll be able to keep the world safe.” 

 

“Is it true that you played a part in creating the Hulk?” 

 

Ross seemed to get angrier at this question, his fists clenching on the podium as he closed his eyes. “While he was working for me when it happened, Banner was the one who made the mistake. Who knows if he did it on purpose....But I was no help to him. I would have never made such..Such a monster.” 

 

Thor felt himself go tense again, wanting to say something, but instead applause just roared over the courtroom. Ross took his seat, and the applause ceased. Thor sat up in his chair more, knowing that Bruce would have to go next. 

 

“Dr.Banner will testify now.” 

 

-

 

“Dr.Banner, what do you have to say about your accusations?” 

 

Bruce had no idea what to say to that. It was now that he’d realized how  _ huge  _ this courtroom really was, how many cameras were on him, how many people were staring at him, at the huge handcuffs on his wrists. Their gazes pierced through him, and Bruce couldn’t help seeing fear in each eye. He wondered if the Other Guy saw them this way. 

 

Bruce could practically feel the time ticking by as he thought about his answer, his eyes going from the faces in front of him to his friends. They were all staring at him expectantly, and all he could do was close his eyes, drawing in a deep breath.  

 

“I don’t want to feel like I’m defending myself here. The fact that people are separated between heroes and villains, the fact that there’s such a fine line...There isn’t fair judgement. I won’t try to tell you I’m not guilty or...the Hulk’s not guilty. I’m not going to try to tell you that I haven't done terrible things, because I have. I’m not here to get heat off my back,” he looks at Thor, who gives him a reluctant nod. “I didn’t defend earth so that I would be seen as a hero. I defended earth because I wanted to protect it. So if doing this, if locking me away is defending earth, then go ahead. So...about my accusations. They’re valid. And if it makes the people feel better to have me locked up, then that’s what I prefer as well.”

 

His eyes were still on Thor, who was nodding at him, smiling sadly as he did. He turned his gaze down to the podium. 

 

“If you came here just to offer giving in, why come in in the first place?” 

 

“Because Ross isn’t 100% a good guy, either. And just because he says something is true doesn’t mean the public should respect his decision.” Answers were coming a little easier now, but when he heard the clicks of cameras and saw flashes of white light, his heart sped up to the same rate again. 

 

“And how do you know that you won’t have another episode?” 

 

Bruce was prepared for that answer, he really was, but right as he was about to answer, more cameras flashed in his eyes- one of them from someone by Ross that was especially bright. His eyes widened as he stared at the camera, stared at Ross, his hands gripping the table. 

 

He remembered that flash. 

 

He remembered it, hanging over him while he was strapped to the table, taking pictures as the pain ripped through him, tracking their ‘progress’. He remembered that light burning his eyes, the camera whirring and reeling as it clicked pictures of him every time he was near Hulking out. 

 

“Dr.Banner?”

 

He hadn’t realized the room had grown silent, that no more cameras were flashing. He also realized he was gripping the table so hard that his knuckles had gone white. This was  _ bad _ . The silence was louder than any scream, and the stares- some of them filled of fear- felt like they would haunt Bruce. 

 

“I- uh,” his voice was shaky- it felt like he was going to be sick. Memories were flashing in his mind, and he could feel the sweat on his forehead. He heard growling in the back of his head, pushing it down with every fiber in his being. “I’ve been controlling it for years, almost a decade. It was rough in the beginning, but I trust…”

 

He trailed off, watching as military officials seemed to be approaching him. The crowd was whispering, Bruce furrowing his eyebrows and staring in confusion as he felt the two men grab him, the judge smacking their mallet on the table. “We will be taking a brief intermission so that Dr.Banner may...calm himself.” That just made the crowd louder, and Bruce felt like he was having a fever dream, watching as a smile crept across Ross’s face. 

 

His legs didn’t move at first as he was pulled backwards. He stumbled, but caught himself, earning a confused glance from one of the men as they dragged him into a conference room, standing at the door as if they were guards at a nightclub. Bruce tried his best to collect himself, taking deep breaths and gripping his hair. All he could think about was the flash of that camera, of that cold, cold table they’d had him on so many years ago… 

 

“Banner,” the sudden voice sent chills up his spine, and he didn’t know if he was imagining it or not until he looked up, watching as Ross shut the door behind him as he entered. “I figured we could have one last...Chat, before they take you away. Of course, it won’t be long until we see eachother again.” 

 

He sat at the seat across the table  from Bruce, and he couldn’t tear his eyes away from him. It wasn’t anger as much as fear that made Bruce want to leave the room right away, to take up Thor’s offer, but he ignored it, not saying anything as he stayed planted in his seat. 

 

“You do realize it’s a landslide, right? You freaked out.” 

 

Bruce said nothing. 

 

“Banner, I asked you a question.” 

 

Bruce closed his eyes, as if darkness could take him away from this. 

 

“ _ Answer me! _ ” Ross yelled now, and his fists slamming against the table. Bruce’s eyes shot open, and he could’ve sworn Ross looked different; he was red in the face and glaring at him, different than the usual anger he’d get for Bruce. But he supposed he hadn’t been around it for a while. 

 

Before Bruce could say anything, the door swung open from behind Ross, and to Bruce’s relief, Thor, Steve, Tony, Nat and Clint entered, each of them looking a different level of pissed off. Thor was the highest level, but it looked like he was trying to keep himself quiet. 

 

Steve stared at Ross, putting his hand up at him with a serious, set gaze. “That’s enough, Ross.” 

 

“ _ General  _ Ross, to you. Here I thought you were supposed to be a soldier, Rogers,” everyone started taking seats at the table, Thor right next to Bruce, who was still staring down silently at his hands. He couldn’t look at Ross right now. He couldn’t look at anything but his wrists, squeezed together by the too-big cuffs. “Have they decided yet? I couldn’t imagine it would take this long.” 

 

Thor suddenly slammed his fist down on the table, the military guards at the door straightening up as the god pointed a finger at Ross. “Shut your damn mouth. You have just as much of a chance of losing, you’re more of a monster than-” 

 

“That’s  _ enough, _ ” Bruce had spoken up now, and confused stares were surrounding him. He still didn’t look at anyone, his eyebrows furrowed as if it was taking a great deal of concentration for him to even talk. “It’s not winning or losing. It doesn’t matter anymore. It’s their choice now.” 

 

The room went silent. Bruce felt Thor’s hand hold his as much as he could through the cuffs. 

 

“Either way, we need to set some things straight,” Steve was the first to break the silence, staring at Ross. “You realize how dangerous it is if you use him as a weapon, right?” he asked, the faith in his voice almost laughable to Bruce. 

 

“I could ask any of you the same thing.” 

 

“We aren’t the ones using him as a weapon,” Tony spoke now, not looking at anything but the table. “We use him for threats that normal people can’t handle.” 

 

“Would you listen to them, Banner?” Ross was speaking- and looking- directly at Bruce now, a small smile on his face. “Your own teammates, your own  _ friends,  _ they look at you the same way I do,” Thor’s hand tightened around Bruce’s. “Do you think they see you as anything less than a liability? Do you think they’re here to do anything less than  _ control  _ you? At least I care about you.  _ Bruce.  _ You don’t need them-” 

 

“Oh, don’t play this card,” Tony shook his head, getting up and starting to walk toward Ross. “I saw what you did. I saw the pictures. You can’t defend yourself here, you don’t  _ care  _ about anything except-” 

 

“What did you do with the files, Mr.Stark?” Ross interrupted, one of the guards from the door standing between him and Tony now. 

 

“ _ What? _ ” 

 

“They had my plans in them. I know you read them. Did you ever share them with the rest of your team? With your  _ friend _ ?” Tony seemed to pause now, staring at Ross with an expression nothing less than remorse. 

 

“Tony, what’s he talking about?” Nat asked now, all the eyes in the room now on Stark, who’s gaze was now set on the floor as he stroked his chin, eyebrows furrowed. Bruce didn’t know what to think about all of this- he didn’t even know he had a file in the first place. 

 

“I know you’ve considered them,” Ross said, a smile on his face. “Admit it. You’re afraid. You all are,” The room fell silent once again, and Bruce felt himself stiffen up, staring at the ground. He honestly didn’t expect them  _ not  _ to be afraid of him; it wasn’t big news for him, but everyone else seemed shocked, as if it was something Bruce wasn’t supposed to know. 

 

“I would never fear Banner,” Thor spoke up suddenly, and Bruce felt the warmth of his hand separate when he stood up, looming over the table and glaring at Ross. “You can’t make any of us fear him. Banner is our  _ friend- _ ” 

 

“Seems like he’s more than just friends with you.” Ross remarked, and if the door hadn’t opened once again, Thor probably would have sent a bolt of lightening flying at the general. All of their attention turned to the police officers that were entering the room, the military officials moving out of it as they looked over the table. 

 

“We’re here for General Ross.” 

 

-

 

This made  _ no sense.  _

 

Ross was yelling as they handcuffed him, kicking and swearing on hurting Bruce, on  _ killing  _ Bruce as they dragged him out of the room. Everyone else seemed just as surprised as he was, and while Thor tried to hug Bruce in celebration, the most he could do was pat his back as he followed Ross as he got dragged. 

 

“Banner, what are you-” he heard Thor call from behind him, but he’d seen something he couldn’t take his eyes off of. As Ross was spitting and screaming, struggling, there was a neck vein popping out of his neck, an inhumanely  _ red  _ neck vain.  

 

“Ross...Take a breath,” he said, putting his hands out in front of him and trying to calm the man. Calm the man who’d done nothing but hunt him and torture him all his life. “You don’t want to do this. Trust me.” Bruce was closer to them now as the police dragged him down the main room of the court. 

 

“ _ Don’t tell me what I want, Banner! _ ” Ross hissed, kicking his legs at him as his neck started to rise with red. “ _ I’ve waited so long for this moment. I’ve waited so long to finally be able to make you  _ **_really_ ** _ bleed, to see you die, I-”  _ That’s when the blade went through Ross’s chest. 

 

Bruce jumped at it, eyes wide as he looked up to see one of the police officers morph into Loki, the other one changing into Valkyrie as Ross stumbled forward, spitting up blood as he gripped Bruce’s shoulders, laughing the deepest, most haunting laugh Bruce had ever heard. 

 

“Th-that was a mistake…,” He yanked the knife out, holding it up to Bruce’s cheek as his arms started to slowly grow, his shirt ripping as his grip on Bruce’s shoulder became painfully strong. “ _ Finally.  _ You’re going to see what real power looks like.” That’s when the rest of his suit ripped, and an inhumane scream filled the room. Ross looked just like Hulk- but his skin was an unnatural red, and his eyes were set on Bruce after the scream. He grabbed him by the neck. 

 

The knife clattered to the ground. 

 

-

 

It only took a second for everyone to get ready. Lightning was already crashing through the building, somehow Stark was getting in a suit that expanded from just his watch, and Steve and Nat could fight just the way they were; the other two Asgardians had poofed into their armor right away, stepping back from the Red Hulk as soon as he changed. 

 

Thor watched in horror, though, as Banner hesitated. Red Hulk was holding him, as if waiting for something, but Banner just struggled, his hands gripping the much larger red ones that were squeezing his whole body. 

 

The first one to strike was Stark. He flew up, shooting a devastating blow to the monster’s back, causing him to drop Bruce, who was now gasping for breath on the ground. Steve then ran at it, swinging a kick at it’s legs to try and trip it, but it proved unsuccessful. In one swipe, the Red Hulk had hit both Tony and Steve away, sending them crashing into the wall as it roared. 

 

Valkyrie jumped onto it’s back, stabbing her sword into its shoulder as Loki distracted it by making about ten clones of himself surrounding the Red Hulk- but it just grabbed Valkyrie by her legs, spinning her and slamming her into every Loki until it eventually hit the right one, causing them to fly back, crashing through the glass doors. 

 

Natasha then slid under it, evading every slam and kick that Red Hulk tried to hit her with. Instead, she climbed up his arm and tried to electrocute him, which stunned him with just enough time for Clint to fire an arrow- which unsuccessfully bounced off of him. The two of them were then slammed into the ground, just leaving Thor, who was standing in front of a nearly unconscious Banner. 

 

Red Hulk was now charging toward the people who were huddled in the corner of the building, and Thor had just enough time to grab his leg and slam him down into the ground. Red Hulk turned his head to look at him before suddenly sending a kick right into his chest, the one blow knocking the god into the wall, breaking it effortlessly. 

 

Thor had all the wind knocked out of him with the blow- and maybe a couple ribs, as well. He landed next to Steve, coughing and trying to stand, but it seemed Red Hulk had taken them all down in a single hit. Thor blinked his vision back, staring in horror as Bruce approached the creature, arms out in front of him as he walked closer. 

 

He was saying something that Thor couldn’t make out, standing between Red Hulk and all of the people. He reached his hand out to the beast, and for a moment, it seemed like it started to reach back to him- only to grab his entire body, smashing him against the ground and throwing him over the crowd, through the glass entrance of the courtroom. 

Thor screamed, drowned out by the Red Hulk’s roar as it started to charge at the panicked people, about to slam his fists down on them when suddenly Hulk landed between him and the crowd, absorbing the blow by grabbing the Red Hulk’s hands, the two of them struggling to stop each other before Hulk suddenly slammed his fist into the Red Hulk’s stomach, sending him flying through the roof as Hulk followed, jumping up on top of the court and grabbing Red Hulk by the neck, dragging him along the top of the roof and then slamming him into the ground below. 

 

Hulk jumped down next to Red Hulk, who was still laying on the smashed ground, recovering from the impact. He was circling him like a hawk circles it’s prey, and Thor could’ve sworn he even saw Hulk spit on him. His boasting was short lived, though, when Red Hulk suddenly stood, slamming his fist into Hulk’s face and sending him into a tree, which got knocked down under the impact. 

 

Red Hulk then ran to him, grabbing Hulk and throwing him so far he went through a building, then jumping after him, slamming his fists into Hulk’s chest and sending him to the ground. Hulk grabbed Red Hulk’s fist when he tried to punch him again, but Red Hulk just grabbed Hulk’s leg, slamming him into two buildings and crushing the street with him. 

 

The fighting went on like this; the Avengers would try to help, but get taken down by Red Hulk scarily quickly. That’s when Thor also realized that Hulk was loosing. Every time he got a hit, it was only a few seconds before Red Hulk retaliated even  _ harder,  _ sending him crashing through buildings. 

 

Horror struck Thor when he struggled to stand, realizing that if Red Hulk could kill Hulk like Ross wanted, that Banner would die. 

 

The next time he heard the smashing of glass and brick, he deeply cringed. 

 

-

 

The building Red Hulk slammed Hulk into was too familiar. They were inside Ross’s old building, Red Hulk pounding Hulk down through floors, the ground breaking under them with each hit. Hulk was seeing white, and with each passing floor, he could block less and less hits, until Red Hulk slammed his head into the final floor, the floor were Bruce’s lab was. The floor with all of the gamma energy stored in it. Everything went black. 

 

-

[FORGOTTEN DATE, 1979]

 

Rebecca Banner’s arms tightened around her son as the smashing of a beer bottle echoed through the house. She shouldn’t have spent so much time packing. She carried her boy outside, shushing him as he tried to ask her what was going on. 

 

She pulled open the door, shoving Bruce inside and strapping him in the car seat. There were tears in her eyes as she tried not to look at the black bruise on her son’s eye, trying to ignore his confused whimpers as she strapped him in tight and shut the door. 

 

“Just be quiet for mom, ok? We’re going to be fine,” she hurried to the other side of the car, jamming the key into the side of it with shaking hands as she heard the front door open, slurred cursing making her heart hammer in her chest as her husband approached her. 

 

The last thing she heard was her son’s scream. 

-

 

Bruce hadn’t lived that memory in so long. 

 

Hulk hadn’t ever known it. 

 

For the first time, they could both share thoughts, they could both see. 

 

Bruce was awake. 

 

-

 

While the Avengers couldn’t really handle Red Hulk, they didn’t let him escape their sight. It took them awhile to catch up until they saw the destruction of Ross’s building, until they saw Red Hulk, holding up an unconscious Hulk as if he were a hunter proud of his kill. 

 

Thor felt his heart stop as he saw how beat-up Hulk looked, and how grossly happy Red Hulk was. He was hanging limp in the other’s grasp, being slammed into what was left of the building, even though he was already immobilized. 

 

Thunder roared. Thor couldn’t help the raindrops falling as lightning sparked on his fingers, starting to run toward the scene until he suddenly saw Hulk’s eyes open, staring directly at Thor, except something was different. Something he couldn’t place at first. Thor stopped dead in his tracks. He felt arms pulling him back as he stared back at Hulk with wide eyes, suddenly realizing what was so different. 

 

His eyes were  _ brown.  _

 

Before Thor could react, Hulk suddenly turned to face Red Hulk, bringing his arm up over what looked like crates, with some sort of symbol on them. He’d seen this symbol before, somewhere in Banner’s lab, but before he could decipher it, Stark was yelling for them all to get down. 

 

Hulk’s fist slammed down on the crates, and suddenly a huge explosion blew everyone backwards. It wasn’t enough to kill any of them, as they were still far away, but Thor felt his heart drop to his stomach when he smacked into one of the buildings behind him. 

 

He couldn’t see any large figures through the green-tinted smoke. His ears rung as he screamed Banner’s name, trying to find any sign for Hulk as hands grabbed at his arms, pulling him back as tears ran down his cheeks. 

 

All he could see when the smoke cleared was Ross and Banner, laying in the rubble, both of them unconcious. 

  
The thunder  _ roared.  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oooh cliffhanger maybe theres more to this story? woah 
> 
> As always I love comments! 
> 
> Follow my Tumblr for that sweet, sweet Thruce content: @Fruit-Butt


	7. The Heart of the Storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This was it. They were safe.

There was a man in his hospital room. 

 

Bruce couldn’t really make out who it was at first; his head was pounding so hard it felt like it would sink him back to sleep again. He could hear the faint buzzing of machines all around him, he could feel the too-thin blankets pulled neatly over him, but for whatever reason, his vision wasn’t doing so great. 

 

He could see the faint outline of him standing at the doorway, as if he wouldn’t dare come any closer. He moved to sit up, feeling his back protest as he leaned on his elbows, watching as the figure started to come closer. The first words out of his mouth scraped through his throat. 

 

“Thor?” 

 

He started to get out of the bed, swinging his legs over it as he saw Thor start to race to him, wrapping one arm across his shoulders and setting the other on his chest. “You need to rest, Banner, please don’t-” his voice was shaking, and Bruce suddenly realized there was a light shower of rain cascading against the window by his bed. 

 

“Hey, hey..” Bruce moved his hand to Thor’s cheek as he was set back on the bed, finding himself leaning on the God. Thor wrapped his arms around him so gently, as if he was the most fragile thing Thor had ever handled. “It’s okay. I’m alright, Thor.” He whispered, feeling Thor’s beard scratch against his cheek as the hug tightened. 

 

“They’re not going to take you away, Bruce,” he whispered, and Bruce felt warmth in his chest as Thor ran his fingers through his curls, pressing a kiss to his cheek and letting their foreheads lean together. There were tears in his eyes, and Bruce couldn’t help the small smile that spread across his face. “You’re safe. You can stay. We won.” 

 

The desperate kiss that Bruce then pressed to Thor’s lips felt starving as he clung on to Thor’s shoulders, feeling the God’s arms slide around his middle and pull him forward. Safety had always been a fear for Bruce, an unsettling feeling that he knew wouldn’t last too long and would slip through his fingers as soon as he caught it. But now, he felt electricity dancing around them as Thor returned the kiss, and all he felt was warmth. He was in the eye of the hurricane. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this was so short, but I'm so glad I got to write this, and I'm so glad so many people enjoyed it! As I work on my next Thor-centric Thruce fic, please send me oneshot requests to do! 
> 
> hmu on tumblr @fruit-butt, or on twitter, @roboticpeach!
> 
> comments make me so happy!

**Author's Note:**

> I know that went a bunch of different places, but this was more of the set-up story! It's going to be a storyline about Bruce's relationship with the law/General Ross, while still focusing on Thruce/Thor's part in everything.
> 
> My tumblr is @fruit-butt if you want to be friends!


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